I Wish I Could Hate You
by Jral
Summary: When Edward leaves Bella behind with no explanation, she turns to his family and their friends for support. Two years later he returns, only to find that he left behind so much more than just a heartbroken girl. Canon couples AU/AH M for language/lemons
1. Little White Sticks

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Boo =(

**Revision: No changes in this chapter...just a few grammatical errors that needed to be fixed =D**

**A/N: This story is somewhat angsty in parts, but I'm not a huge fan of drama in real life or fiction, so I promise it won't be too much! And of course, there will be a happily ever after, cuz how can you not when Edward's involved? Lemme know what y'all think!**

**Chapter 1 – Little White Sticks**

**BPOV**

This isn't possible.

There is absolutely no reason why this should happen to me. None.

I'm a good kid. I am first in my class, set to be valedictorian when I graduate next spring. I don't get in trouble at school or at home. I take care of my dad; I keep the house clean, do the shopping, and rarely serve leftovers. I'm generally quiet, but I try to be nice to people, even if I don't like them.

So why the hell is this happening to me?

**Flashback**

_The room is eerily quiet, the only sounds being the thump of the base below our feet and the erratic pounding of my heart. I'm not sure which is louder._

_The party is raging throughout the house and yard, everyone celebrating the graduation of another class from Forks High School. As of right now, the party was the farthest thing from my mind. _

_My head is spinning wildly with the realization of what had just happened. I, Bella Swan, just had sex with Edward Cullen. And I'm 90% sure he was completely hammered._

"_Bella?" I turned my head to look at the naked man giggling uncontrollably next to me. Even when he's plastered he's the most beautiful person I've ever seen. His copper-colored hair was even more disheveled than usual, and his emerald eyes were captivating, despite the fact that they were slightly glazed over._

_He reached out a long, toned arm to grab me around my waist and crush me to his chest, burying his face in my hair in the process. _

"_Mmm...smell so good," he murmured. My heart flip-flopped in my chest and I internally smacked myself for being so easily affected by him. But who was I kidding? Edward had always had this affect on me. I had been in love with him since I first moved to Forks five years ago. _

"_Bells?" he whispered my name dramatically, drawing me out of my reverie. He was still clutching me to his chest, not allowing me enough room to make eye contact with him, so I merely grunted in response. _

"_I love you," he slurred. His words caused my heart to instantly combust, sending a flash of warmth through my body. I quickly fought the urge to crush my lips to his, my joy at his admission almost too much to contain. Does he really mean it? Or is this just the alcohol talking? Maybe he really does love me, just not the same way. Yes, that must be what he meant. He's always treated me like Alice, like his little sister. That must be the love he's talking about. But brothers don't usually take their little sister's virginity. Well, at least not in civilized society. _

_I pulled back slightly as Edward's breathing began to even out, taking a moment to study his face. A peaceful smile was lingering on his lips, the same lips that I had longed to taste for so many years. When my wish had finally come true, I couldn't decide if I was happy or not. The kiss was everything I had ever dreamed of: passionate, warm, and sent a jolt of electricity all the way to my toes. _

_But there was something off about it. Maybe it was the taste of vodka on his tongue, or the voice in the back of my head that was telling me it was too good to be true. There was just something about that kiss that didn't feel quite right. _

_I sighed heavily and nestled into Edward's chest, savoring the feel of his warm, chiseled chest against my own bare skin. I was just being over-dramatic. I always had a tendency to over-analyze things, and that was exactly what I had been doing just now. I would just have to wait until morning, and talk to Edward about what had happened. Until then, I would sleep the most peaceful sleep of my life, in the arms of an god. _

_I never did get my chance to talk with Edward. I woke to the pale gray morning, my arm instantly stretching out to find him. But the sheets were cold. My eyes snapped open to search the room, showing no signs of Edward or our night together. I launched myself out of the bed and dressed quickly, rushing out of the room and downstairs as the panic began to form in my chest. _

"_Edward? Edward!" I shouted frantically, praying that he had just gone to eat breakfast or talk with the gang. My hopes were shattered, however, when I skidded to a stop in the family room. Six pairs of eyes stared up at me, a mixture of emotions crossing their faces. Fear, sorrow, concern, pity, anger...all of them telling me exactly what I needed to know. _

_Alice slowly rose from her place by Jasper's side and made her way over to me, approaching me as you would a trauma victim. _

"_Bella, sweetie...Edward's not here. He's gone," she whispered, her voice barely audible. My mind refused to comprehend what she was telling me, my entire body going numb. Her face crumpled in pain, the last thing I saw before I collapsed to the floor in complete darkness_

**End Flashback.**

Deep breaths. I just needed to take deep breaths. I could handle this. It wasn't that bad, right?

My hand trembled slightly as I reached for the small white stick and threw it in the trash bin with eleven others. Twelve tests. Twelve tests, and all of them positive.

I definitely couldn't handle this.

My mind worked quickly, searching frantically for some sort of solution. I could only think of one, and I wasn't too happy about it.

Without giving myself time to change my mind, I ran out of the bathroom and down the stairs, grabbing my purse and keys on my way through the door. My truck roared to life and I quickly threw it in reverse, backing out of the driveway and speeding down the road. Well, maybe not speeding, but definitely pushing my antique truck to its limits.

As soon as I found a parking spot I jumped from my truck, running down the sidewalk with coordination that I ordinarily did not possess. My legs carried me through the automatic doors and past the receptionist, ignoring her protests. I stopped in the doorway to his office, my nerves momentarily holding my feet in place. With one final deep breath for courage, I knocked three times, slowly turning the handle at the invitation to come in.

"Bella? What are you doing up here? Is everything alright?" His vibrant blue eyes were filled with nothing but concern, helping to calm my racing heart.

"I need your help," I started quietly, my eyes dropping to the floor. I glanced back up at his face, and he crossed the room quickly, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"What is it, Bella? You can come to me for anything, you know that," he replied calmly. My eyes began to water at the sheer love that filled his voice and eyes, giving me enough strength to push the words from my mouth.

"Carlisle, I think I'm pregnant."

**A/N: Dunh dunh dunh!!! lol I'll make a deal with you...give me some reviews, and I'll give you another chapter =) sound good?**


	2. The Love of a Mother

Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight =(

**Revision: Still no changes...just grammatical errors =D**

**  
A/N: You guys are the best! Because you were so sweet and nice about the first chapter, I decided to give you guys a fast update! I am currently working on two other stories, but I am done with classes for the next five weeks, so updates should be pretty frequent. Enjoy =)**

**Chapter 2 – The Love of a Mother**

**BPOV**

"_What is it, Bella? You can come to me for anything, you know that," he replied calmly. My eyes began to water at the sheer love that filled his voice and eyes, giving me enough strength to push the words from my mouth._

"_Carlisle, I think I'm pregnant."_

We stood in complete silence in Carlisle's office. He hadn't said a word in over three minutes. His eyes were wide, frozen in shock. The only sign that he was even still alive was the sound of steady breathing in the otherwise quiet room.

After what felt like ages, his features finally began to transform, his eyes softening and taking on a more natural appearance. He cleared his throat and gestured for me to take a seat in one of the chairs across from his desk.

"Have you taken an at-home pregnancy test?" he asked, his voice holding no trace of the shock that previously consumed him.

"Yes," I answered softly, "twelve of them. They were all positive." He nodded his head mutely before picking up his phone and instructing a nurse to prepare an exam room for me.

"How long has it been since your last period?" he questioned. I sighed and easily rattled off the number, having done the calculations over a dozen times already this morning.

"Have you been experiencing any lightheadedness? Nausea? Fatigue?" Carlisle continued to rattle off questions as he lead me down the hallway and into a private room, and I answered them all easily. The nurse drew my blood and took it to the lab, after Carlisle informed her that it was priority. He made his rounds throughout the hospital, leaving me to wait in the quiet room for what felt like hours. Finally, Carlisle returned, a piece of paper in his hands.

"Well, Bella, you are in fact ten weeks pregnant." I nodded my head slowly, his words only reaffirming what I already knew. I was ten weeks pregnant. The date of conception would match the date of the graduation party. There was no doubt about that.

"Bella," Carlisle started, nervously running a hand through his golden hair, "can I ask--" he paused. He glanced up at me, his discomfort obvious in his features. It was strange to see Carlisle so shaken. He was always so composed and put together, even in the most extreme of circumstances.

"It's Edward's," I answered his unspoken question softly, my eyes dropping to my lap. I heard his loud exhale before a strong set of arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"Oh, Bella," he sighed. "It's going to be alright, sweetie. We're going to take care of you....both of you," he promised. A sob escaped my lips and I wrapped my arms around his waist, in dire need of comfort.

"I'm so scared, Carlisle," I confessed. "How am I going to do this? I'm not even seventeen yet! I'm going to be a senior this year!" I wailed. His arms tightened around me, one stroking my hair gently.

"Shh, Bella...You're going to be just fine. We will all be here for you; you're not alone," he said. We stayed like this for a few minutes before my sobs finally quieted. He pulled back and I wiped the back of my hand across my face, drying my damp cheeks.

"My shift is over in just a few minutes, so why don't you head to the house and I'll meet you there. We'll tell Esme together, okay?" I nodded my head in agreement and stood to leave the hospital.

The ride to the Cullen's house was short. My thoughts were occupied with the complete 180* turn that my life had just taken. Ten weeks ago, I was a normal girl, ready to start her senior year of high school then head off to college. Now I didn't even know if I was going to college. Would I even be able to finish high school? I had to at least do that much, but how?

I parked in front of the garage and placed my hand on my flat stomach absentmindedly as I gazed up at the house. I had been blown away the first time I had seen it. Nestled in a clearing in the Washington forest, the massive structure looked completely out of place but perfect at the same time. The house was a stark white, standing two stories high with a wrap-around porch.

I had been so intimidated by the very sight of it when Alice brought me here for her slumber party in junior high. Now, it just felt like home. It was a place so filled with love and good memories, that even that night ten weeks ago couldn't soil it's beauty for me.

I saw Carlisle's Mercedes pull up beside me out of the corner of my eye, and I took a deep breath before climbing out of my truck. He smiled at me reassuringly and placed an arm around my shoulder to lead me to the front door. With a gentle squeeze on my shoulder, he pushed open the door, and walked directly to the family room.

"Carlisle? Is that you?" Esme's voice entered the room just before she did, a beautiful smile spread across her heart-shaped face. Her caramel colored hair hung in soft curls over her shoulders, the spitting image of a 1940's movie star.

"Oh, Bella, it's so good to see you sweetie," she pulled me into a tight hug, her warmth and affection almost causing me to burst into tears again. Must be the hormones.

"Esme, dear, come sit with us," Carlisle said gently, wrapping an arm around his beautiful wife's waist. Esme's brow furrowed in confusion, but she followed Carlisle to sit on the couch. I took a seat in the armchair beside Carlisle, my nerves suddenly making a reappearance.

"What is it? Is everything alright?" Esme's face was contorted with worry, her eyes switching quickly between the two of us.

"Everything's fine, Esme," Carlisle reassured her. "Bella just has a bit of news she'd like to share with you," he said, turning to face me. "Go ahead, Bella," he encouraged, a smile appearing on his lips.

I took a deep breath before turning to face a now very nervous Esme. I smiled at her timidly, and ducked my head, not having the courage to look in her eyes.

"Esme," I started, lifting my gaze to hers,"I'm pregnant." Her eyes widened momentarily, and she glanced quickly at Carlisle before looking back at me.

"Edward?" she asked, searching my eyes intently. I nodded my head slowly, a warm blush filling my cheeks. The room was completely silent for a moment, before I heard a strangled sob and a pair of arms were thrown around me.

I looked up in shock to see Esme beaming in front of me, her face filled with pure joy. She laughed exuberantly while tears streamed down her face, one hand holding me tight while the other smoothed my wavy hair.

"Oh, Bella, this is wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I know it might not seem like it right now, but it is! I'm just so happy!" she sobbed, causing Carlisle and I to chuckle at the contradiction.

She leaned away from me to look in my eyes, her warm hands coming down to wipe the tears from my face. Her eyes held mine for the longest time, before she slowly placed her lips to my forehead, the motherly action causing my tears to once again flood down my cheeks. If I could be half the mother that Esme Cullen is, I would be happy. A smile broke across my face and I reached forward to hug her back, my fears slowly beginning to ease with her obvious support.

"I'm so scared, but I can't say that I'm not happy," I laughed, the absurdity of the situation filling me with joy. Here I was, announcing to the parents of my best friend's older brother that I was having his child, while he had virtually disappeared from our lives without a trace, and they were ecstatic for me.

"Oh, sweetie, don't be scared. We're going to take such good care of the two of you," she comforted me. "And it's okay to be happy! I'm so excited to be a grandmother, and I just know that everything is going to work out just fine," she promised. The tightness in my chest disappeared almost completely, my fears seeming silly with Esme's arms wrapped around me.

**A/N: So, as always, I am very open to suggestions and critiques, so keep reviewing! Let me know what you do and don't like, or what you'd like to see!**


	3. Now We Wait

Disclaimer: SMeyer owns all, I own nothing...yet =P

**Revisions: Still no changes, just small errors that needed to be fixed...the change will be coming soon though, I promise!**

**A/N: Okay, we're almost done with the pregnancy announcements! This chapter will tie up the introduction, and lead us into the meat of the story, so to speak =)**

**Chapter 3 – Just Me and My Friends**

**BPOV**

This has been, by far, the longest day of my life.

After my emotional breakdown with Carlisle and Esme, we all sat in the living room and talked for a few hours, only taking a break to talk to my father, Charlie.

He had taken the news as well as can be expected under the circumstances. At first, he was furious, then depressed, and finally resigned. He was still lightyears away from being happy about it, but he was still willing to support me.

Most of his anger lay with Edward, which was understandable considering that he took my virginity (of course, I was more than willing) while in a drunken stupor at his graduation party, then disappeared without so much as a 'sorry'. He was disappointed in me, which I think was the hardest part for me to handle; he said that he had raised me to be smarter than that, and that he had never expected me to make such a careless mistake.

In the end, he just wanted me and the baby to be happy and healthy. It was going to take him some time to get used to the idea of his sixteen year-old daughter having a baby. I was just happy he hadn't shot me on the spot.

After the long talk with Charlie, Edward's parents took me back to their house to wait for everyone else to get home. We decided it would be best if I got all of my confessions out at once, rather than agonizing over how to tell everyone.

Alice and Emmett were out with their significant others, enjoying the time they had left together before school started back up. Emmett was going to be in his second year of college, while Jasper and Rosalie were starting their first. That just left me and Alice to endure a long senior year here in Forks before we could join our friends.

The foursome had invited me to spend the day with them, just like they had every other day this summer. I had declined, as usual, claiming to not be feeling well. Of course, it wasn't exactly a lie. But I didn't need to tell them the real reason; seeing them all together just reminded me of _him_. I had been given a chance at my happily ever after, but I just wasn't enough to hold him here. I didn't need that constant reminder.

When the gang finally barreled through the doors of the Cullen household, Carlisle and Esme remained by my side to help me break the news. Their initial reaction surprised me; they were all ridiculously, comically happy. Alice squealed so loudly that even Jasper was shooting daggers at her, and he was usually immune to her excessive energy. Rosalie was actually crying, her perfect face covered in tears.

Of course, it only took a few minutes for everything to change. Once the excitement had settled down, they all started thinking about what my pregnancy really meant.

"Ohmygod Bella! I can't believe I'm gonna be an aunt!" Alice squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. Her parents merely smiled indulgently and took turns hugging me as they made their way upstairs, giving us all some privacy.

The five of us were spread out in the living room, with the coffee table covered in an assortment of drinks and snacks. Apparently my new pregnancy diet had already started, because every item in front of me was lacking the good stuff: fat, sugar, and caffeine.

"So, Bella," Rosalie started, her voice soft in the now silent room, "are you going to tell him?" she asked. I sighed heavily and readjusted myself on the couch, so that I was laying on my side with my head on her lap. She immediately began running her hand through my hair absentmindedly, while Alice sat in front of me on the floor and the boys spread out on the loveseat and chairs.

"I talked to Carlisle and Esme about it already. They don't have his address and his phone isn't on anymore, so they're not even sure how to get ahold of him," I explained.

When Edward disappeared two and a half months ago, he left us all nothing but a simple note. He told us that he had proposed to Tanya, his girlfriend, the day of graduation, and that they were going to get married. He knew his parents wouldn't approve, so they eloped that day and left for Dartmouth. Edward had received a full scholarship, and Tanya's parents had bought her way in. He didn't leave any way to contact him; he had just disappeared.

Carlisle and Esme had been heartbroken. Emmett, Edward, and Alice had all been raised to trust their parents completely. They were such a close family, and had always been able to confide in one another. His parents and siblings couldn't understand why he would run from them. He had sent them a letter each month so far, just to let them know that he was doing well. But with no return address or specifics, they had no way of knowing exactly where he was. Of course, with the amount of money they possessed they could have him found quite easily, but they decided that if he didn't want to be found, they wouldn't try. It was up to him to make the first move.

"Well then that's his own damn fault," Emmett growled. "If he wants to act like a child and run away, then he's not good enough for you or your baby. He doesn't even deserve to know." We all remained silent as Emmett's booming voice echoed through the room.

The rest of the group quickly agreed wholeheartedly, arguing that Edward wasn't good enough for us. But I knew better; I wasn't good enough for him. If I had been, he would still be here, going through this with me.

I couldn't say that I completely agreed with everyone's decision that Edward didn't need to know. If I had some way to contact him, he would've been the first one to know. Edward may not have made many good decisions lately, but he was a good man, and he deserved the chance to know his child.

My only option now was to hope that he would return. Surely he wouldn't stay away for too long. His entire family was here; despite their extreme dislike for Tanya, they all loved him very much, and I couldn't imagine him just abandoning them.

For now, I had my family and I had my friends. They would be here for me, keeping my head above water. But he would come back. And when he did, we would be right here, ready to welcome him home.

**A/N: Well, of course, our Bella is as self-deprecating as usual. But now everybody knows about the baby, so we can start moving forward with the story! Review plz!**


	4. Coming Home

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything...

**Revision: **Okay, so I did some revisions in this chapter...I decided not to do anything too major. I extended Edward's absence by about a year, and emphasized Anthony's "gifted" nature...I hope this works for everyone, and let me know what you think!

**Revision 2: **I've had a few people point out that I forgot to change the time frame from 'Two Years Later' to 'Four Years Later'. I apologize for any confusion this has caused, and thanks for the heads' up!

**A/N: Alrighty, are you ready for this story to get started? I know it's taken awhile to get past the "oh my god, Bella's pregnant!" part of the story, but it will start picking up now. Just hang in there with me!**

**Chapter 4 – Coming Home**

**BPOV**

**Four Years later**

"Anthony! Come on, baby, it's time to go," I called down the hallway. I pulled my coat over my shoulders and turned at the sound of tiny footsteps running toward me.

My son squealed excitedly when I reached down to pick him up, spinning him in a circle before setting him back on his feet.

"Again! Again!" he demanded, reaching his hands up to me. I chuckled softly and knelt in front of him, holding his coat out so he could put his arms through.

"Not right now, baby, we need to get going. But I bet your Uncle Emmett will be more than happy to play with you when we get to Forks," I assured him. His eyes lit up at the mention of his childlike uncle, and he quickly put on his coat to hurry us along.

With one last look around our apartment, I threw our bags over my shoulder and grabbed Anthony's hand, leading him outside and to the car.

We were heading down to Forks for the weekend to celebrate Anthony's third birthday. Anthony was particularly excited about the birthday party aspect of the trip, but I was just excited to be going home.

I had been living in Seattle with Anthony for a little over two years now while I attended the University of Washington. Right before he was born I had moved in with the Cullen's, after they had convinced my dad that it would be for the best. Esme ran her interior design business from home, so she would be able to watch Anthony while I was at school during the day. I only had a few months of high school left after he was born, and having her there helped out immensely.

Over the summer they helped us move to Seattle along with Alice, joining the rest of our friends at school. Alice, Jasper, Anthony and I shared a large three bedroom apartment that the Cullens paid for, while Rosalie and Emmett had a place of their own. With all of my friends around to help with Anthony, I hadn't had to put off going to college, something I had initially been worried about. In fact, with all of the extra help, I had been able to take more than a full course load every semester, and fast-tracked my degree. I only had three months left until graduation, receiving my Bachelor's degree in three rather than four years.

Anthony and I had finally gotten our own place about six months ago to give Alice and Jasper some privacy. As a single mother I was eligible for a rather large grant from the school that covered our bills and a left a little extra, but Carlisle and Esme refused to let me use it. They were adamant about paying for our rent and utilities, and told me to put the grant in my savings account to give me a headstart for when I graduated. Charlie had even gotten into the giving mood, and had bought me a small SUV to replace my truck.

Having our own apartment was great for me and Anthony. We had our routine down now, so the days ran pretty smoothly considering I was the single mother of a three year old. Now that he was a little older, he was much easier to manage on my own, so I was no longer completely dependent on my friends. The two couples still took turns watching him when I needed to go up to the school or into the office, but now we all at least had our own places to go back to.

My greatest accomplishment so far was landing the perfect job. I took all of my classes online so I could be home with Anthony, but during my first semester I had been required to take a freshman introductory course. The girl in the seat next to me, Angela, has become one of my best friends over the last two years. Her parents own a major publishing firm, and when Angela learned that I was a single mother, she convinced them to give me a part-time job as a freelance copy editor while I was in school. Now that I was close to graduating, they had offered me the position full-time, with a very significant raise.

The drive to Forks went by fast, with Anthony having fallen asleep before we were even out of the city. I glanced in the rear-view mirror at my little angel and smiled softly to myself. He really was the perfect combination of me and Edward. His skin was ivory, the one trait we had both shared, and his mahogany curls were identical to my own. The vivid green of his eyes could stand against Edward's any day, framed by thick black lashes. His temperament, it seemed, was a bit of a mixture. At first he was more like me, reserved and shy. But once he was comfortable around you, he came out of his shell, and there was no person on this earth that could withstand his charm. He would definitely be breaking a lot of hearts in high school.

It was unnerving how fast he was growing up. It seemed like just yesterday that I was sitting in my bathroom, obsessing over the twelve little white sticks in my trash can. At the time I was terrified, and thought this was one of the worst things that could possible happen to me. Now, I knew that I was mistaken; Anthony was the greatest blessing I had ever received.

Although, I wouldn't mind if he could stay a baby for just a little while longer. He was definitely a gifted child, but I suppose that was to be expected. I had been a rather fast starter myself, and Edward excelled at everything he tried. Anthony was already learning how to read, and he definitely had Edward's coordination, thank God. I only had another year with my baby before I would need to enroll him in kindergarten, a day I was dreading. But I couldn't hold him back for myself; he was ready, and I would just have to let him go.

Edward still didn't know about him. Carlisle and Esme continued to receive a letter from him every month, ensuring them that he was alive and well. But there were never any details about his life. Where was he? Was he still in school? Was he still with Tanya? When was he coming home? I could only hope and pray that he would someday make his way back to Forks, and he could meet the son that he had given me.

I still couldn't bring myself to hate him. Rosalie swore that she would castrate him the minute he came back to town, and Emmett and Jasper were right there with her. Alice was very disappointed in him, and angry as well, but she was incapable of thinking bad thoughts toward anyone. Carlisle and Esme just wanted their son back, no matter what it took. Charlie, of course, swore to make Edward suffer a long, painful death. I don't think the two of them would ever be allowed to be alone in the same room ever again.

I understood everyone's feelings completely. Mine, however, were a bit more complicated. A part of me was angry with him for not being here; I shouldn't have had to raise our son without him. But more than anything, I just missed him. I missed the incessant teasing he threw my way. I missed his crooked grin. I missed his ability to make me blush by just entering the room. I missed his smell. I missed him.

What I struggled with the most was the part of me that was happy for him. Our friends thought I was insane, even Alice, but I couldn't deny it; if Edward was happy with Tanya, wherever they were, then I was happy for him. I never wanted to hold him here, to deprive him of whatever it was he wanted. I knew that I wasn't good enough for him, so I couldn't blame him for wanting more. I could only hope that maybe someday Anthony would be what he wanted, and my son could finally have his father.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I broke through the trees, and the large white house rose out of the clearing before me. I small smile graced my lips as all of my tension melted away at the thought of home. I parked in the driveway behind Rosalie and Alice's cars, excitement bubbling up inside of me. I quickly pulled my sleeping son out of his carseat, careful not to wake him, and trudged through the cold winter air up to the front porch.

I didn't bother knocking as I reached the door, as this was more of a home to me than anywhere else ever was. The large door swung open easily, and the warmth inside the house warmed our bodies as the sound of talking and laughter reached our ears. I turned the corner to the family room and smiled at the sight before me, all of my friends gathered around the couch with Carlisle and Esme, carefree smiles on each of their faces.

"Bella!" I smiled at the group as Alice's squeal alerted them to our arrival, everyone jumping up to great us.

"Oh, Bella! It's so good to see you dear!" Esme rushed forward to hug me. I wrapped one arm around her, careful not to jostle Anthony.

"Oh, the poor thing, he's just exhausted!" she exclaimed. Carlisle quickly came over to take my son out of my hands, kissing him on the forehead before turning to carry him up the stairs. Jasper gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek then slipped out the door to retrieve the bags from my car.

I was quickly ushered into the family room while Esme took my coat. A few minutes later and we were all gathered on the couches, laughing easily and catching up with one another. The majority of the conversation consisted of stories about Anthony, with Carlisle and Esme hanging on every word. I usually came down at least one weekend a month so that Anthony could visit with his grandparents.

I was supposed to drop him off with Charlie tomorrow so they could go fishing, as Charlie insisted that he needed more male bonding time. I had never been big on fishing with Charlie, so I know he was glad to be able to take my son. I had moved to Forks when I was eleven after my mom died, and although I was a bit of a tomboy I wasn't much of a fishing partner, so Charlie was making up for years worth of quality time. I would have to apologize to my son when he was old enough to understand; it really wasn't fair that he had to spend his vacations on a smelly boat with Charlie just because I had been a girl.

Eventually we all started to wind down, the day of traveling finally catching up with us. Alice was curled up against Jasper's side, her little head struggling to stay upright. Esme's eyes were slowly fluttering closed, and Emmett was already starting to snore softly.

"Well, I think that's our cue to call it a night," Rose giggled softly. We all murmured our goodnights and turned to head upstairs.

A quiet knock on the door stopped us all in the foyer. I looked around at my friends, wondering if anyone had invited someone else to come down. We all shared the same look of confusion. When the knock sounded again, louder this time, Carlisle shuffled to the door and opened it quietly. He said nothing to greet our unexpected guest, and we all stretched our necks in an attempt to see around him.

Esme, tired of waiting for Carlisle to respond to our visitor, pushed past him towards the door with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

"Carlisle, are you just going to stand-" her voice cut off abruptly, and she sucked in a large breath of air.

"Edward?" her voice came out barely above a whisper.

"Hi, mom. I'm home."

**A/N: Oh snap! Edward's back! So...whaddya think's gonna happen? I bet if you leave me lots of reviews I'll update faster... =P**


	5. Edward's Story

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight...it all belongs to the goddess that is SMeyers

**Revision: Okay, so I had to do a little adjusting to Edward's story here at the beginning, but that's about it. From here on out, there will only be small adjustments made in each chapter, just to ensure that it stays consistent. If you don't want to reread it all, you won't miss anything important. Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I hope you like it!**

**A/N: I thought I'd switch things up a little in this chapter and give you a little peek into Edward's beautiful noggin. It's a bit longer than the others so far, but he had a lot of info to cover. Enjoy =P**

**Chapter 5**

**EPOV**

It's been almost four years since I've been to Forks. I didn't plan it that way, it just seemed like everything kept going wrong, one thing after another.

I left the day after graduation. In hindsight, I realize it was the stupidest decision I could've made. But I was young and naive, and I just needed to get away.

The day of my high school graduation, my girlfriend of two years, Tanya Denali, dumped me for one reason: Bella Swan. She was my little sister's best friend, and that should have been all, but it wasn't. She was beautiful, smart, funny...perfect. I guess Tanya was a little more perceptive than I thought, because she caught on to my "hidden" feelings. I proposed to her, thinking that was what you were supposed to do when you'd been dating a girl for over two years. Her answer: "Edward, the last time we had sex, you screamed out _her_ name when you came. Why the fuck would I want to marry you?" Charming, isn't she?

At first, I was furious. How dare she accuse me of being in love with Bella? Who was she to tell me who I loved? Of course, after a few hours, my anger turned to elation. I wasn't stupid, I knew my family hated Tanya. Everyone would be happy without her, including me. But the best part was, without Tanya around, I didn't have to feel so guilty about my feelings for Bella.

Everything changed that night. I had a plan: I was going to use my last summer here at home to win Bella over, and hopefully make her mine. Unfortunately, my dumbass screwed everything up. I got wasted, declared my undying love for her, and took her virginity within an hour of my graduation party. I knew I couldn't stay after that. How could I ever expect her to love me after that? How could I look her in the eyes, knowing that I had treated her so badly? I had been in love with her since the day I met her, but the second I was given a chance I fucked it up.

So I ran.

I woke up the next morning and packed my stuff while she slept soundly in my bed, looking every bit like the angel she was. It took a simple five minute phone conversation to beg Tanya to take me back. I didn't want her, not at all; but her family had money, and I knew my parents would never want to see me again after today, let alone pay for my school and apartment. Tanya was hesitant at first, obviously. But after I assured her that she was the only one I wanted (a complete lie) and that we could even elope if that's what she wanted, she agreed enthusiastically. With a quick note to my family, we left for the East coast.

We spent the next year at Dartmouth, going to school and getting wasted. If I wasn't in class, I was getting drunk somewhere, trying desperately to keep my mind off of Bella. She deserved so much better, and if I stayed away she would have a chance to find it.

At the end of our first year, I had finally had enough of Tanya. I didn't love her, but I remained faithful to her, not wanting to add to my pile of guilt. Tanya, however, didn't offer me the same courtesy. Finally sick of her fucking around, I packed my bags one day with every intention of heading home and begging my family and my Bella for forgiveness. But the fates had other plans.

Tanya was eight weeks pregnant. I couldn't possibly leave her like this, no matter how badly I wanted to. She was supposed to be taking birth control, and I always used a condom, but you know all that shit about "99% effectiveness". So I stayed, and I waited. I kept attending classes, pre-med, and got a job at a local clinic doing paperwork and sorting files, trying to save as much as I could for when the baby came.

Seven months later, Tanya gave birth to black-haired, brown-eyed, tan-skinned baby boy. Needless to say, I was pissed. She cried for hours, begging me to stay, claiming that the real father had refused to help her. I could care less. Tanya didn't even put up a fight when I had the divorce papers served. It wasn't like she could deny infidelity, so she signed the papers, promising me that I would come crawling back to her one day. I moved out of the apartment and into a friend's place until the end of the semester, then filed for a transfer to the University of Washington. I was going home.

It took every ounce of strength I had not to throw up on my parents' front porch. I stood there for almost an hour, struggling to find the courage to knock. Rosalie's BMW and Alice's Porsche were in the driveway, along with a Jeep Liberty that I didn't recognize. That meant that the girls and guys were all here at least, and possibly Bella. That did nothing to help with my nerves.

Slowly, I stretched my trembling fist out, placing three quick raps on the front door. I could hear a murmur of voices on the other side, but the door remained unmoved. Clenching my jaw shut, I knocked once more, louder this time, and held my breath in wait.

The door swung open slowly to reveal my father, his confused expression quickly changing to one of shock. I smiled tentatively, but he remained immobile. His eyes were frozen wide, and he made no move to speak or allow me inside, but simply stood and stared. After what felt like hours, my mother's voice floated out from behind him.

"Carlisle, are you just going to stand-"her voice cut off mid-sentence, and her body froze beside my father's. I smiled at her softly, praying that she wouldn't slam the door in my face.

"Edward?" she whispered. Her voice was a mixture of emotions: pain, anger, relief. Each of them tore me open a little more.

"Hi, mom," I said quietly. "I'm home."

For a split second, none of us moved. Suddenly, my father dropped his hand from the door, and my parents launched themselves at me with surprising force. My mother's arms formed an iron vice around my waist, while my father draped his arms around both of our shoulders, both of them sobbing quietly.

I hugged them back with all of the strength I had in me. We stayed like that for a long moment, before they both stepped back slightly, pulling me into the house, wide smiles on their faces. I glanced up as I realized we weren't alone, and my stomach dropped to my feet.

There before me stood my brother, my sister, and two of my best friends, each with murderous looks on their faces. Emmett had a hand wrapped around Rose's wrist, seeming to be halfheartedly holding her back from killing me. Jasper stood beside them, a look of complete disgust on his face. The reaction that caught me most off guard, however, was Alice's.

"You bastard!" the tiny pixie screeched, flying across the foyer. Her fist connected swiftly with the left side of my jaw, knocking me backwards and causing spots to appear in my vision. I looked back down at her in shock, while she stood trembling before me, obviously fuming. Her little hands were still bunched into fists, and she took a step toward me as if to attack again.

"Alice, stop!" It was the most beautiful sound in the world. My head whipped automatically toward the sound of her voice, my eyes searching frantically for the face that filled my dreams.

Rosalie slowly stepped to the side, her eyes still locked on me, revealing the beautiful brunette she was shielding. My Bella.

She was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her rich mahogany hair was long and shiny, matching perfectly with her doe-like brown eyes, which were currently filled with unshed tears. She was absolutely breathtaking, but there was something off. The dark shadows under her eyes seemed like a permanent fixture, as if they had always been there. She had matured more in my absence, her curves unmistakably feminine, but her hollowed out cheeks and thin limbs suggested a lack of nutrition. Why wasn't she taking care of herself? Why weren't our friends making sure she was taken care of?

She stepped around Rose, her small body tense, and walked to Alice, wrapping her arms around her and whispering in her ear. Alice's eyes grew wide for a fraction of a second before she squeezed them shut, visibly trying to calm herself. I looked back to Bella, my heart shattering at the sight of the tears that were now streaking down her face.

She stared up at me, so much smaller than I remembered, before giving me a small smile and turning to run up the stairs, leaving me with a final glance at her beautiful face crumpled in pain. My brow furrowed in confusion and I turned to my mother for an explanation, wanting to know why my angel was so broken.

"Edward, honey, let's go sit in the family room. I'll make you something to eat." My mother gently pushed my father and I toward out of the foyer while she disappeared into the kitchen. I quickly took a seat, and my friends bunched up onto the couch opposite me, staying as far from me as politely possible.

We all sat in an uncomfortable silence for the next ten minutes, waiting for my mother to return. She finally did, carrying a tray with sodas and finger sandwiches, handing two whole ones to Emmett before setting the rest down for us.

"Edward," my father started, scrunching his forehead in concentration, "what happened to you, son? Why did you leave? Where have been? Why didn't you talk to us?" He rattled the questions off at me without a single breath.

I sighed heavily and dropped my head into my hands, rubbing my temples before lifting it back up to look around at my parents and friends, and began to tell them the story.

I didn't bother editing, or leaving out the more embarrassing parts. I wanted them to understand why I had left, and exactly how I had been feeling. It was necessary that they know the truth, the whole truth. They had gone through so much pain at my expense, and I didn't want to hurt them further.

As my story came to an end, I looked around at each of their faces, studying their reactions. My parents both looked heartbroken, saddened by the fact that I hadn't come to them with my problems. Alice had tears falling down her face, and a small glint of mischief in her eyes that made me wary. Jasper and Emmett seemed to be taking the whole thing fairly well, and had relaxed as my story progressed, maintaining only the slightest hint of irritation. Rosalie was, by far, the least receptive to my explanation. She was not as furious as she had been when I arrived, but her anger was still painfully obvious.

Without warning, Alice jumped from the couch and flung herself at me once more. I instinctively shielded my face, not wanting a repeat of this evening. She surprised me instead by throwing her arms around my neck, squeezing me with more force than should be physically possible for her.

"Oh, Edward! I'm so happy you're home big brother!" she sobbed, making me feel even worse about myself. I rubbed her back soothingly, until Jasper finally stood up to retrieve her.

"Sorry about her," he chuckled easily. "I still think you're an idiot, and you have quite a big mess to clean up, but we're all glad to have you home man," he added. Rosalie let out a not-so-delicate snort, and Jasper just shook his head and grinned as he pulled his girlfriend off of me. "I think that's our cue to hit the hay," he laughed, and the two of them headed out of the room.

"Well, Eddie, I can't say I'm not upset with you. You really fucked things up, you know," Emmett started. I rolled my eyes at the irritating nickname, but nodded my head in understanding and dropped my gaze to my lap. "But I'm glad you're back bro." I looked up at him with a small smile, and he flashed me a large grin while he stood up, tugging an angry Rosalie behind him.

"I think we've had enough tears for one night," my mother joked lightly. I looked at my parents, truly happy to be close to them again. They both looked exhausted, but their joy was obvious, warming me from the inside out.

"I've missed you so much, sweetie. Everything's going to work out, you'll see," she whispered quietly, touching one hand to my cheek. I hugged her tight before turning to embrace my father, then watched them both head to their room.

I stood slowly, stretching my stiff limbs as I walked toward the stairs. It had definitely been a long day, but I was happy to be home. I couldn't help the small smile that lifted the corners of my lips.

As I reached the staircase, I noticed that there was someone sitting quietly against the wall. Bella smiled gently up at me, her knees pulled to her chest, the sight of her making my heart ache. I had been so horrible to her. Would she ever be able to forgive me?

She rose to her feet slowly, and dropped her eyes to the ground as she walked toward me. We stood in silence for a moment before she finally lifted her head, staring me straight in the eyes.

"I'm glad you're home, Edward," she said softly. The sound of my name leaving her lips made my head spin, hope welling up in the pit of my stomach. Maybe I did have a chance. I didn't deserve her, not at all. But I was willing to do whatever it took to earn her love.

She stepped forward and wrapped her little arms around my waist, her soft body molding to mine perfectly. I instantly pulled her into me, my arms acting of their own accord, and took a moment to inhale her scent, committing it to memory. Eventually she released me, much to my disappointment, and turned to head back upstairs. When she reached the landing, she paused and turned back to face me, sympathy evident on her beautiful face.

"Don't worry about Rosalie; she'll come around eventually. We all love you, you know," she whispered, then disappeared around the corner. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, her words replaying in my head. She said "we". Does that mean she loves me? Is she _in love_ with me? Is that even possible?

I stood at the bottom of the stairs for a few minutes, contemplating every possible meaning to her words.

There were three things I knew for certain. One, Bella Swan loved me, in one way or another. Two, I was completely and irrevocably _in love_ with her. And three, I was going to do whatever it took to make sure she felt the same.

**A/N: Yay! Edward's back! Are you guys excited? Now, before you get to upset, I realize Bella is way more forgiving than most people would be in this situation. But that's exactly the point! The love that Bella and Edward have for one another is all-consuming, which is why they behave like they do. She will be angry with him, and they will have issues to work through, but right now she's just happy to have him home, safe and sound. Well, you know the drill...click that little blue button and I'll update ASAP!**


	6. Meet Anthony

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: I thought I'd let you guys see how Bella is handling Edward being home. And no, this will not be one of those stories where she refuses to tell Edward that Anthony is his. Remember, she was the one that thought he should know from the beginning, she just had no way to contact him. This chapter is pretty long, since I had quite a bit that needed to get covered. Read and enjoy =)**

**Chapter 6**

**BPOV**

Edward was back. He was here right now, in this house, right across the hall. And what am I doing? Lying in my bed in the fetal position, while Anthony snores softly beside me.

Anthony. _Our_ son. I can tell Edward about him now. Somehow that seemed a lot easier when I didn't actually have a way to tell him. Now, with nothing stopping me, it's absolutely terrifying.

I reached my hand out in the darkened room, and gently ran the tips of my fingers over my son's cheek, marveling at the satiny texture of his skin. He shifted slightly in his sleep, then rolled over to curl up on his side, his little face scrunched up tight. I reached one finger out to gently smooth the crease between his eyes, the same crease that Edward gets when he's frustrated.

Edward is still beautiful. His copper locks are in perfect disarray as usual, although slightly longer than the last time eye saw him. He was slightly thinner also, but his body still looked firm beneath the jeans and thin t-shirt he was wearing. The vibrant green of his eyes was as startling as always, but didn't quite have that same sparkle. He was my Edward, just toned a bit. If his story was true, I guess that would make sense. Hell, I know I'm not in the best of shape, and I'm not even the one that fucked up.

With a heavy sigh, I pulled myself out of the bed and tiptoed quietly to the door across the hall. The entire house was silent, the only sound my nervous breathing. A soft light was shining out from underneath Edward's door. I knocked tentatively, and held my breath to wait. The door opened only seconds later to a surprised and disheveled Edward.

"Bella...um...would you like to come in?" he asked, seeming unsure. I paused for a moment before nodding my head, and he opened his door wider to let me in. I glanced quickly around the room, noticing that nothing had changed since the last time I was here, except the messy bed and the suitcase on the floor. I spent a lot of my time in Edward's room while I was pregnant, needing a way to feel close to him. It had become sort of a haven for me.

"Um...so..." I turned to look at Edward, who was staring down at the floor nervously. I ran my eyes quickly over his features, the tell-tale crease present between his eyes. What am I doing here? What was I going to say to him? Did he even want to talk to me? What if that story was just to make his family happy?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. You must be tired; I'll just go back to my room," I mumbled quickly, moving toward the door. His head shot up, and his eyes locked on mine with so much intensity that my breath hitched in my throat.

"No!" he shouted quickly, a blush rising to his cheeks. Huh, I made Edward Cullen blush. "I mean, you don't have to go. I had trouble falling asleep, so I was just listening to some music," he said quickly. I noticed then that there was a CD in his stereo, the sounds of Debussy drifting through the room. I smiled gently, remembering that was a song that we had both loved. I looked back into his eyes, and he was staring directly at me, his eyes burning with emotion.

I had heard his explanation to his family. To say I was shocked was an understatement. How could he have not known how I felt about him? I had been in love with him since the day I met him. True, I hadn't been happy with the circumstances surrounding our first time together, but I was happy to have been with him nonetheless. It was such a relief to know he felt the same way, but it was also painful. We had missed out on so much time together, and he had missed so much of Anthony's life. That time was something we could never get back. And I'm not exactly sure what would become of our relationship at this point. He said he still loved me, and I loved him as well. But was that enough? He had loved me before, but he still left me. Would he leave me again?

"I was having trouble sleeping, too," I finally said. I made my way over to the bed, changing my mind at the last minute and taking a seat on the large black leather sofa beside it. Edward slowly walked over to me, sitting down with only a few inches between us. His body heat was radiating off of him, reaching across the small space between us, causing a light shiver to run down my spine.

"Bella?" His voice was so quiet, so full of pain. I looked over at him questioningly, and was taken aback by the severity of his stare. His eyes were glistening with moisture as silent tears dropped onto his cheeks. I reached my hand out without another thought, cupping his cheek in my hand and using the pad of my thumb to dry his tears. His face crumpled in pain at my simple gesture, and his shoulders began to shake with the force of his sobs. "I'm so sorry."

I slid across the sofa and wrapped my arms tightly around his shoulders, running my fingers through his hair to soothe him. His cries broke free, and he buried his head in my chest, letting the tears fall unrestrained.

"Shh, I know...It's gonna be okay," I whispered, rocking him gently. We sat like this for over an hour, until Edward finally stilled, his breathing evening out as he fell asleep. I scooted out from under him, gently tugging on his shoulders to lay him down on the couch. My fingers lightly brushed across his forehead, pushing his hair out of his face before standing to cover him with a blanket.

I slipped quietly out of the room and back into my own, curling up next to my son under the covers. A heavy sigh escaped my lips, and my weary eyes drifted closed, exhaustion finally consuming me.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

I awoke to the sound of profuse giggling from not one, but two tiny bodies.

"Why are you in here, and what do I have to do to get rid of you?" I growled.

"Bella, you're awfully grumpy this morning. Does that have anything to do with a certain someone, who apparently has "pretty hair"? You really should try to control your dreams better, or at least keep them to yourself." There was another eruption of giggles, and I opened my eyes to glare at my son and his little pixie aunt.

"Anthony, I think you should take Aunt Alice downstairs before mommy is forced to hurt her." Anthony's giggles increased momentarily, before Alice slapped a hand over his mouth to silence him.

"Um, Bella? I don't know if that's such a good idea. I mean, you might want to have a talk with 'you know who' before you throw your son at him," Alice hinted. My eyes flew open wide and sat straight up in bed.

"Oh shit!" I squeaked, before shooting a quick glance at my son. His little forehead was creased with confusion, and Alice was once again giggling by his side.

"Um...okay, it's no big deal, I'll just...ungh!Alice, what do I do?" I wailed, throwing myself back into my pillows.

"Well first of all, you need to take a deep breath. Edward just went to take a shower, so Rose and I thought we would take Anthony into town to give you a chance to break the news," she explained.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell him for me?" I asked, giving her my best pouty face. Apparently it needs some work, because she just rolled her eyes at me and giggled.

"Nope! Sorry honey, but you're gonna have to do this yourself," she said, patting me on the head. I groaned loudly, then stood to start getting dressed. Once Anthony and I were both ready I carried him downstairs, where Rose was already waiting with her car keys.

"Don't worry sweetie, everything's gonna be fine," she assured me, pulling me into a tight hug. "If he gets out of hand just let me know; I'll come kick his ass for you," she growled. I laughed nervously and bent down to help Anthony into his coat.

"Thanks, Rose, but I think I'll be alright," I said, my voice much steadier than I was feeling. With a kiss goodbye, my son was off with his aunts, and I was left to talk to Edward.

"Bella?" I turned to find Esme. "I made breakfast and set some plates aside for you and Edward in the kitchen. Carlisle and I are going to take a trip to Port Angeles for the day. Emmett and Jasper left about an hour ago to go to the park and throw a football around," she explained. I smiled softly at her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"So, in other words, everybody is out for the day until Edward and I have talked and deemed it safe for you all to come home?" I asked. Esme chuckled softly and and placed a hand on my cheek, love oozing from her eyes.

"You'll be just fine, sweetie." She hugged me one more time, then she and Carlisle headed out for the day.

I had just finished heating up our breakfast when Edward came downstairs. I couldn't help but stare for a moment. His hair was still slightly damp, and beautifully disheveled. His skin had a slight glow to it from the warmth of his shower, and his vibrant green eyes were sparkling and alive with a good night's rest. His faded jeans hung low on his hips, topped off with one of his old Forks High track shirts.

"Breakfast?" I asked when I was finally able to pull my eyes away. I offered him the plate of pancakes, sausage, and eggs that Esme had prepared for each of us. He placed it on the bar, then poured two glasses of orange juice for us before taking his seat.

We ate in silence, with Edward seemingly lost in thought, and me struggling to gain some courage.

"Bella-"

"Edward-"

We both spoke at the same time. We laughed loudly together, the sound of his deep chuckle causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach, before we both calmed down and waited for the other to speak.

"You go first," I suggested. He smiled softly then took a deep breath.

"Well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for they way I treated you that night, I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry I was a coward...I'm just so sorry, Bella," his voice trailed off at the end. I reached my hand over to place it on his, and he looked up to meet my eyes.

"Edward, stop apologizing. I can't say that I'm not upset about what you did, but I can't stand hearing you say 'sorry' for the rest of our lives," I giggled. He flashed me a crooked grin that made my heart stop beating for a second, and I shook my head to regather my thoughts.

"There's a lot we need to talk about, Edward. I guess first, I just want you to know that I don't think that night was a mistake. I loved you, I still do, and I was glad we could be together, even if only for that one night," I started. His eyes widened in surprise at my words, but I stopped him when he opened his mouth to speak.

"Please, just let me get this all out, or I might lose my nerve," I chuckled uneasily. He nodded for me to continue.

"I love you. I won't try to deny it or dance around; I just do, and I probably always will. But I've had almost four years to grow up and move on, and I think I have finally achieved that. I really don't see how we could ever be together again, if that's what you were hoping for," I explained, watching as his face crumple in pain. I took a deep breath to steady myself, working up the nerve to say what was needed. "If you left again, I don't think I could handle it. It took me a long time and the help of all our friends and family to pull me out of my funk the first time. I don't think I could go through that again. And it's not just me I have to worry about anymore; this is about more than just us now." I paused to gauge his reaction, and he seemed thoroughly confused by my words.

"Edward, when you left that day," I started, "it wasn't just me you were running away from. About two and half months after you left, I found out I was pregnant," I said softly, deciding it was best to just be open and straightforward. Edward immediately froze in front of me, his face becoming completely blank.

"I have a son, Edward. _We_ have a son." I stayed quiet, giving him a chance to process what I had just told him. His eyes had widened to an absurd degree, and it would've been comical if the situation wasn't so serious. Well, okay, it was still a little funny. He blinked slowly, his breathing now heavy, and locked eyes with me.

"I...have a son?" he whispered. I nodded my head slowly, waiting for his reaction.

A blinding smile suddenly flashed across his face, and without warning, he scooped me up in his arms and begin twirling me in circles around the kitchen. I yelped in surprise, struggling uselessly to get free. Then slowly, as realization set in, his smile started to fade, and he set me back on my feet.

"I have a son. I've had a son for three years, and didn't even know it. I've missed _three_ years!" he cried, sinking back onto a stool. His hands sunk into his wild mane, tugging at the roots in frustration.

"I can't believe this. Why am I such an asshole? Why did I have to fuck everything up? If I wasn't such a little bitch I could've spent the last threeyears with you and our son!" he shouted. I quickly pulled him into my arms, ignoring the little flip my heart did when he said 'our'.

"Edward, I know it's a lot to take in, but you can't beat yourself up over this. That's in the past, and there's nothing you can do about that now, so just focus on the present. You have a wonderful little boy, and you can share the rest of your life with him. Don't let your past interfere with that," I murmured.

"How can you not hate me? How can you stand here and tell me all of this so calmly? Why are you even letting me in to begin with? You should be screaming at me, keeping me away from him, keeping me away from you. Why?" he questioned, his eyes searching my face for some sort of enlightenment. I smiled sadly at him and shrugged my shoulders.

"I won't keep him from you, not just because you deserve to know the child you fathered, but because that child deserves to have a father," I began slowly. "I may not be happy with you, but those are _our_ issues, not his. I won't punish him for something that isn't his fault." Edward stared at me quietly for a few moments, before nodding his head slowly. He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, then pulled back slightly to look up at me, the excitement obvious in his face.

"Where is he? Can I meet him?" he asked eagerly. His excitement soon fell through, giving way to panic before I could even answer him. "What if he doesn't like me? Does he even know about me? What if I screw up? How do I even know if I can be a good dad?" he whimpered, dropping his head onto the bar.

"Edward, take a deep breath and calm down. You are going to be an amazing father, because you are one of the sweetest, smartest, most loving and talented people I have ever met. I know he's going to love you. And he does know about you; I told him that you just went on a long trip, but that you would come back to him someday," I finished softly. His eyes connected with mine, the emerald orbs swirling with passion and a love so intense my breath caught in my throat.

I looked away quickly, not allowing myself to get sucked into his trance. I'm not an idiot; I can't deny that every cell in my body is begging to be close to him, to feel him. But I can't just throw away everything that I have learned, everything I have been through. I am finally able to stand on my own two feet, and I can't risk that just because Edward dropped back into our world. If Anthony had never happened, I might be more willing to take that chance. Now I have to put his needs and happiness first, which means Edward and I need to have a platonic relationship. If he were to leave us again, Anthony is young enough to be able to bounce back and move on. I, however, would undoubtedly fall apart, and he needs me to be strong.

"Bella?" Edward's velvety voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "I just want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I know that's probably hard for you to believe, and I can't blame you for not trusting me. But I will be there for our son, and I will be there for you whenever you need me. I do love you; I always have. I know you can't just welcome me back with open arms, but I just need you to remember one thing: I won't give up. I want you in every way possible, and I'll do whatever it takes to have you." My breath hitched in my throat when his eyes met mine, the beautiful green now hard as stone.

"Fair enough," I managed to mumble, unable to tear my gaze away. He flashed me that crooked grin, and released his hold on me. I quickly pulled my cell-phone out and dialed Alice.

"Hey, Ali, can you guys head back to the house? Edward wants to meet Anthony," I explained. Alice's squeal pierced my ear through the phone, and she quickly agreed before hanging up. I looked over at Edward, who's face now held an awed expression.

"You named him after me?" he asked softly. I light blush rose to my cheeks and I turned my face down, but he placed a finger under my chin to lift it back up.

"Well, it seemed like a bit much to name him 'Edward', so I settled for your middle name instead. His full name is Anthony Masen Cullen," I explained. Edward's face lit up with pride, and he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

"I don't deserve you, Bella Swan. After everything I put you through, and despite how difficult it must have been for you while I was off being a drama queen, you still don't think poorly of me. I don't deserve your love, but I'm willing to earn it. And thank you, for giving him my name," he finished, his voice catching at the end.

"Well, I will admit it was for selfish reasons. I wanted him to have a piece of you, so I gave him your name. And I wanted to do something for Esme and Carlisle, to thank them for all the help they have given me, so I made him a Cullen," I explained. We broke apart after a few moments and I watched Edward pace the kitchen until we heard Rosalie's car pull up in the driveway.

I dropped down from my stool and caught a glimpse of Edward's excited face, instantly bursting into giggles. I've never seen anyone that happy apart from Emmett on Christmas morning. I gripped his hand in mine and led him to the foyer, instructing him to wait in the family room while I went out and talked to Anthony.

"Mama!" My little man came running across the yard, the wide grin on his face identical to his father's. I bent down and scooped him up in my arms, placing a big kiss on his little cheek.

"Hi, baby. Did you have fun with Aunt Rose and Aunt Alice?" he nodded his head vigorously, his green eyes sparkling brightly. "Well, I have a surprise for you," I started. His eyes grew wider, and I giggled before continuing. "How would you like to meet your daddy?" I asked hesitantly. I knew he didn't fully understand the situation with me and Edward, and he was too young to appreciate how big this moment really was. But he released a tiny gasp, and his eyes began to twinkle with joy.

"Really?" he asked quietly, disbelieving. I nodded slowly, smiling in reassurance, and a crooked little grin stretched across his lips, his head bobbing up and down furiously. Rose and Alice joined me in laughter, and Alice made a shooing motion, instructing me to take Anthony in on my own. I set him down on his feet and took his hand in mine, leading him up to the door. I swung it open slowly, and guided him into the living room, where Edward was sitting impatiently.

As soon as we entered the room, Edward's eyes locked on Anthony's. They widened slightly, and tears fell silently down his cheeks. With a glance up at me for permission, Anthony shyly made his way over to where Edward was now squatting.

"You're my daddy," he announced matter-of-factly. Edward choked out a laugh and nodded his head, still studying Anthony's face carefully. After a moment of silence, Anthony reached out his little arms and wrapped them tightly around Edward's neck, placing a loud kiss on his cheek. Edward quickly scooped him up, crushing him to his chest, tears still leaking down his face. He pushed him back after a moment, running his hands over his face, studying every little detail.

Two pairs of arms wrapped around me from behind, and I turned to my friends. The three of us burst into laughter when we realized that our faces wore matching tear streaks, all of us moved by the scene before us. My boys turned to face us when they heard our laughter, both of them wearing identical grins, two pairs of emerald eyes sparkling.

I walked over to them and kissed Anthony on the cheek, before Edward leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, causing a jolt of electricity to shoot down to my toes.

"Thank you," he murmured. "He's perfect." I giggled softly at him and rolled my eyes.

"You're welcome; but I can't take all the credit."

**A/N: Awww so the happy family is back together! Before you chase me down with torches and pitchforks, let me explain a few things. No, Bella does not hate Edward. She is not happy with how he handled things, and she is not ready to trust him completely, but she doesn't hate him. She has had to grow up very quickly, and has come to terms with her and Edward's past. With that being said, she will not welcome him back to her with open arms and jump right back into a relationship with him. They will get there eventually, but right now she just wants to make sure Anthony is happy and safe before she can even think about doing something for herself. But hang in there! I love my happily ever afters =P Review plz =D**


	7. Meet Anthony pt 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight =(**

**A/N: I'm finally updating! Sorry it's taken so long, I've just been crazy busy with family over the holidays...i hope to get back to posting at least once a week again, if not more..the goal is to finish this story before my classes start up on January 11th, so I will probably be updating several times a week. With that out of the way, let's get back to the story!**

**Chapter 7**

**EPOV**

I have a son. I have a son with Bella. Bella and I have a son.

No matter how I word it, I can't seem to wrap my head around it. How is this even possible? We had sex one time. One time! Didn't I use a condom? Wasn't Bella on birth control?

I sat at the breakfast bar, staring at Bella in shock. I didn't think it was possible for me to feel like a bigger fuck up, but apparently I was wrong. Not only did I leave Bella all those years ago after drunkenly stealing her virginity without so much as a goodbye, but I left her pregnant and about to start her senior year of high school. I spent the last four years getting hammered and fucking Tanya, and she was stuck here trying to raise our child while finishing high school and starting college. Well, I'm assuming she started college. Did she start college? Oh God, did I make her miss out on that? Was she going to school? Did she still live here in Forks? Holy fuck, what the hell have I done?

I blinked hard and sucked in a deep breath, my eyes landing on Bella's nervous face, realizing that I must have been lost in thought for quite some time.

"I...have a son?" I finally whispered. She nodded her head slowly, searching my face warily. I was quiet for another moment, letting those words really sink in. I have a son.

Suddenly a blinding smile stretched across my face, and without thinking I reached forward to scoop Bella up in my arms, twirling her in circles around the kitchen. She let out an adorable yelp of surprise, but I continued to spin around the room. As I was reveling in the knowledge that Bella had given me a child, a new realization began to sink in, and my smile faded.

"I have a son. I've had a son for three years, and didn't even know it," I growled. "I've missed _three_ years!" I cried, sinking back onto my stool. My hands immediately sunk into my wild mane of copper hair as I tugged at the roots in frustration, finally realizing how royally I had fucked up.

"I can't believe this. Why am I such an asshole? Why did I have to fuck everything up? If I wasn't such a little bitch I could've spent the last three years with you and our son!" I shouted. As my head spun and the pain welled up in my chest, I felt Bella's small arms drape around my shoulders, pulling my tight into her chest. I took in a deep breath of her intoxicating scent, willing it to calm my nerves, and relaxed into her hold.

"Edward, I know it's a lot to take in, but you can't beat yourself up over this. That's in the past, and there's nothing you can do about that now, so just focus on the present. You have a wonderful little boy, and you can share the rest of your life with him. Don't let your past interfere with that," she murmured.

Her words were spoken gently, meant to calm me, but had the opposite affect. How could she sit here so calmly and comfort me after everything I've done to her? She shouldn't be so understanding. She should want to kill me.

"How can you not hate me? How can you stand here and tell me all of this so calmly? Why are you even letting me in to begin with? You should be screaming at me, keeping me away from him, keeping me away from you. Why?" I questioned, my eyes carefully searching her face, which betrayed no ill will or resentment. She smiled sadly at me, the sparkle in her beautiful brown eyes absent, and shrugged her tiny shoulders. Her shriveled frame and obvious lack of that vibrant Bella essence only dug the whole deeper into my chest. I had done this to her.

"I won't keep him from you, not just because you deserve to know the child you fathered, but because that child deserves to have a father," She began, speaking slowly. "I may not be happy with you, but those are _our_ issues, not his. I won't punish him for something that isn't his fault." I stared at her quietly for a moment, listening to her words. As much as I wanted to disagree with her, I knew she was right to an extent. I didn't deserve to know Anthony or have either of them in my life. But I wasn't about to argue with her, and force her to keep herself and our son away. If she was willing to have me, I would stay for all eternity. I wrapped my arms tightly around her small waist and took another deep breath of her scent before leaning back to look at her face, the excitement finally creeping up in my chest.

"Where is he? Can I meet him?" I asked eagerly. As soon as the words left my mouth, I had another thought. Maybe he didn't want to meet me? I could only imagine what type of horrible things he had heard about me from our friends, and possibly even Bella. No, not Bella; I couldn't picture her saying bad things about anyone, even if I truly deserved it.

"What if he doesn't like me? Does he even know about me? What if I screw up? How do I even know if I can be a good dad?" I finally whimpered, dropping my head onto the bar in frustration.

"Edward, take a deep breath and calm down. You are going to be an amazing father, because you are one of the sweetest, smartest, most loving and talented people I have ever met. I know he's going to love you. And he does know about you; I told him that you just went on a long trip, but that you would come back to him someday." Bella's melodic voice was filled with love and compassion, and my eyes snapped up to meet hers. I made up my mind in that second. Bella might say that there is no chance for us, but her heart is betraying her words. I know she still cares for me, no matter how little I deserve it, and I'm not going to give up. I will regain her trust, and the three of us can be the family we were meant to be.

"Bella?" I spoke her name softly, drawing her attention. "I just want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I know that's probably hard for you to believe, and I can't blame you for not trusting me. But I will be there for our son, and I will be there for you whenever you need me. I do love you; I always have. I know you can't just welcome me back with open arms, but I just need you to remember one thing: I won't give up. I want you in every way possible, and I'll do whatever it takes to have you." I held her gaze firmly, not allowing her to see how terrified I was that I might lose her for good. Her eyes widened slightly in shock, the brown pools swimming in intensity.

"Fair enough," she mumbled, conceding to my claims. I flashed her a crooked grin, elated that she hadn't shot me down immediately, and watched intently as she pulled out her cell phone.

"Hey, Ali, can you guys head back to the house? Edward wants to meet Anthony." My heart tripled its speed in my chest as her words replayed in my mind. Anthony. She had given him my name.

"You named him after me?" I asked softly. A gorgeous blush filled her beautiful cheeks and she turned her face to avoid my gaze. I quickly hooked a finger under chin, ignoring the jolt of electricity that shot through my arm at the contact, and pulled her face up to meet mine.

"Well, it seemed like a bit much to name him 'Edward', so I settled for your middle name instead. His full name is Anthony Masen Cullen," she finally explained. My heart swelled with pride and I reached out to crush her to my chest, searching for the words to tell her exactly how happy she had just made me.

"I don't deserve you, Bella Swan. After everything I put you through, and despite how difficult it must have been for you while I was off being a drama queen, you never thought poorly of me. I don't deserve your love, but I'm willing to earn it. And thank you, for giving him my name," I finished, my voice catching at the end.

"Well, I will admit it was for selfish reasons. I wanted him to have a piece of you, so I gave him your name. And I wanted to do something for Esme and Carlisle, to thank them for all the help they have given me, so I made him a Cullen," she explained. We broke apart after a few minutes, and I commenced pacing in the kitchen, nervously awaiting my son's arrival. After a few moments, Bella's tinkling laughter filled the room, and I couldn't help but smile at the sound of it. She reached for my hand, causing the hair on my arms to raise on end, and led me out of the kitchen. After instructing me to wait in the family room, she walked out the front door and left me alone in the silent house.

My ears strained to pick up on the conversation taking place outside, but I was too far to discern their words. The light hum of voices floated through the room, and my hands began to drip with sweat as I waited for them to enter. After what seemed like hours, the shuffle of feet alerted me to their arrival, and I spun to face them, my eyes landing on the small child at Bella's side.

He was absolutely perfect. His dark mahogany curls stood in stark contrast to his fair skin, both a perfect match to Bella's. His eyes shone a vibrant green, rivaling my own, and I felt tears begin to spill down my cheeks. This was my son. _Our_ son.

He glanced up at Bella shyly, and she gave him a small nod, and his little legs slowly carried him to where I was standing. His angelic face tipped back to look up at mine, and a small smile graced his little lips as I knelt down to meet him.

"You're my daddy," his beautiful voice chimed confidently. A mixture between a sob and a chuckle broke out of my mouth, and I nodded my head in confirmation, unsure of how to respond. After a moment of silence, Anthony reached his little arms out to wrap them around my neck, placing a loud, wet kiss on my cheek. My arms instinctively pulled him to my chest, and I held him tightly, marveling at how right it felt to be holding him. I pushed him back to search his face, memorizing every square inch, amazed at the perfect combination of mine and Bella's features.

I was broken out of my scrutiny by the sound of laughter, and I turned to grin at my sister, my friend, and my Bella. The three girls wore matching smiles, tears streaming steadily down their faces. Bella quickly made her way across the room, leaning forward to place a kiss on Anthony's cheek. I couldn't resist the urge to place my own lips against her forehead, the taste of her skin causing my heart to beet faster and my head to spin.

"Thank you," I murmured. "He's perfect." She giggled softly and rolled her beautiful eyes.

"You're welcome; but I can't take all the credit."

**A/N: Okay, I know it's short, but I just wanted you to see Edward's point of view from the big day. I'll update again tomorrow with the next chapter, so hang in there! As always, leave me some reviews and let me know what you liked, what you hated, and what you want to see =)**


	8. Catching Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! Sheesh...**

**A/N: Alrighty, on with the story! I'm gonna stick to EPOV for now, just so you can watch him adjust to being a dad, but I promise I'll switch back to BPOV soon to check in on how things are going between her and Dadward =P**

**Chapter 8**

**EPOV**

"I should go lay him down; he's had a long day." I watched as Bella rose to her feet, our son sound asleep on her shoulder with his little arms draped around her neck. Her knees cracked simultaneously as her small frame struggled to support his weight, and she grimaced as she turned toward the doorway.

"May I?" I quickly jumped to my feet and reached my hands out, offering to carry him up the stairs. A part of me simply wanted to be near Anthony, and to catch up on a three year's worth of fatherly duties. But a bigger part of me was crumbling in agony as I watched Bella struggle, knowing that she wouldn't be able to carry him much longer. He was long for his age, and growing quickly according to my parents. Bella had always been petite, but she seemed to have withered away to practically nothing in my absence, and I wanted to kill myself knowing that it was all my fault. It wouldn't be long before Anthony was too big for her to manage, and I was relieved that I was here now to help her.

She turned to look at me, studying my face slowly before sighing in defeat and nodding her head. I hurried to cross the space between us, scooping Anthony up into my arms before following Bella up the stairs. I watched her small body as she trudged up the stairs, taking in every detail. Her shoulders appeared to be permanently hunched over, and her limbs were thin in the extreme. She had always been quite clumsy, and in the state she was in it seemed that all it would take to snap her bones was a short tumble on a flat surface. I silently vowed to make her health my number one focus, along with Anthony of course, and ensure that she started taking care of herself.

She led me quietly to the spare bedroom across from my own, and entered the darkened room to pull back the covers on the bed. I laid Anthony down gently and took a step back, allowing Bella to prepare him for bed. I watched in awe as she gently removed his shoes and clothes, slipping him into his pajamas. Her movements were so sure and natural, appearing as if she had been a mother for thirty rather than three years. He slept soundly throughout the process, and she hurried to cover his small body with the blankets before placing a soft kiss on his forward and whispering her love into his ears. She stepped back and a peaceful smile crossed her lips before she turned and gestured for us to leave the room.

We made our way downstairs where we all bid our 'goodnights' and separated for the evening. I laid in my bed for hours, replaying the days events in my mind. Shortly after my introduction to my son, Bella had left to take him to Charlie's. Her father was taking Anthony fishing today, something that he apparently did every time they visited Forks. I had felt a small twinge of pain at this bit of news, and couldn't help but think that I was the one who should have been teaching him these things.

I learned more about their lives throughout the day. My parents, siblings, and friends had all returned to the house, and shared stories with me of everything that had happened in my absence. Well, perhaps not everything, as I still new little about Bella's personal life. But I was able to answer many of my larger questions.

Despite her pregnancy, Bella had been able to maintain her GPA in high school and graduated as the valedictorian. My heart swelled with pride at her accomplishment, and other parts of my anatomy reacted instantaneously to the blush that filled her cheeks with all of the attention. I shoved those thoughts down and struggled to focus on the stories they were all sharing rather than the affect that Bella still had on my body.

My parents had taken her in when Anthony was born, allowing her to finish high school without the stress of finding a sitter for Anthony or having to finish her classes from home. I'm not sure I will ever be able to repay them for all that they did for her, but I think they look at Anthony as all the thanks they could ever need. It was obvious to me almost instantly that they all absolutely adored our little boy. Every face in the room would light up at the mention of his name, and they each shared stories about him throughout the day, love seeping into their words. I was immensely grateful that they had been here to take care of the two most important people in my life during my childish stunt.

Bella informed me that she and Anthony were now living in Seattle with the rest of our friends, a fact that made me want to squeal like Alice. I informed them that I had transferred to the pre-med program at the University of Washington, and just needed to find a place to stay before the summer semester started. I would have to take off the spring semester, as it had already begun, but that would give me time to get settled in. As I filled them in on my plans, I caught the bright twinkle in Bella's eyes before she quickly looked away and her calm mask slid back into place. Maybe winning her back wouldn't be quite so difficult as I had assumed.

My parents had immediately began chatting excitedly about possible places for me to stay. I insisted that I wanted to find an apartment in Seattle as soon as possible so that I could be close to Bella and Anthony, and they beamed back at me, obviously thrilled at my decision. If I had the semester off, the least I could do is watch Anthony while Bella was busy running errands or doing classwork, so our friends can enjoy some free time of their own. Now that I was home, I fully intended to have an active role in my son's life, and Bella's as well if I could manage it. It was Bella's response to all of this, however, that surprised me the most.

"Well, I would offer to let you stay with us until you get on your feet, but our apartment really isn't big enough for three people." My eyes widened in shock as she looked up at me shyly. I had never even dreamed that sharing an apartment with the two of them would be an option, let alone that she would be the one to bring it up.

"But the apartment next door just went up for lease if you're interested," she continued, causing my eyes to widen even further. "It's small, and probably not as nice as you're used to, but it's only two blocks from the school and Anthony would be right next door." She bit into her bottom lip nervously, staring down at her lap. I quickly jumped up from the couch, crossing over to her chair to wrap my arms around her tightly.

"Bella, that would be great! I don't care if it's small, as long as I'm close to the two of you. But are you sure you wouldn't mind having me that close?" I asked hesitantly, pulling back to look at her. A light blush tinted her cheeks as she looked away from me, a small smile playing on the edges of her lips.

"I'd love it," she replied quickly. Her eyes shot up to mine instantly, and the blush in her cheeks darkened. "I mean, for Anthony. He would love to have you close by. So I would love it. For him. Because he would be happy. So I would be happy for him." Her face was flushed completely crimson as she stuttered out an explanation, trying to cover her tracks. I smirked at her, knowing that it was only a matter of time before she gave me another chance. And this time, I wouldn't fuck it up.

"Edward? Edward, wake up." My eyes fluttered open slowly as the angel's voice called to me, pulling me out of my sleep. I blinked heavily, struggling to focus my vision, my eyes landing on the angel in question.

"Hey, sleepyhead, time to get up. We need to eat breakfast, then get on the road." Bella smiled softly down at me as she perched on the edge of my bed. Every cell in my body was screaming for me to hold her in my arms and pull her onto the bed beside me, but my slowly waking brain knew that would be a bad idea.

"Five more minutes," I begged, my voice raspy with sleep. I closed my eyes and wrapped the blanket tighter around myself, holding onto the warmth for just a few moments longer. Her beautiful giggle filled the air, and my eyes shot open as her small hand gently reached out to sweep my hair off my forehead, leaving a trail of heat across my skin. She pulled her hand back quickly and rose to her feet, her signature blush tinting her cheeks.

"Sorry," she mumbled quickly, turning to leave the room. I shot my hand out instantly to grip her wrist, holding her gently by my side.

"No, don't be," I begged, not wanting her to regret her feelings. She looked back into my eyes, holding them for a moment before a small smile turned up the corners of her mouth.

"I need to go wake up Anthony. Esme has breakfast ready for everyone, and we'll head back to Seattle when we're finished." I released her hand and sighed as she left my room, closing the door softly behind her.

I had caught a glimpse of something in her eyes several times yesterday, hinting that she may feel at least of fraction of what I felt for her. But as soon as it was there, it was gone, replaced by a cool mask of indifference. She was fighting it, which was to be expected, but I was doing my best to put her at ease. I wouldn't push her, but I wouldn't allow her to pull away either. I wanted her to become comfortable around me again, and hopefully start exploring those hidden feelings once she felt she could trust me. It was going to take time, but I knew that all hope wasn't lost.

I dressed quickly in jeans and a t-shirt, stopping to brush my teeth before I grabbed my bags and headed downstairs. The whole gang was already seated at the table, including Bella and Anthony. The table greeted me and I returned their 'good morning' halfheartedly as I stared intently at the duo currently seated at the end of the table. Anthony was giggling loudly as Bella held two strips of bacon erect on his plate, carrying on an imaginary conversation between them. As the two "pork cowboys" broke into a duel, Anthony eagerly shoved the fallen man into his mouth, bouncing in his seat excitedly. I walked to the empty seat beside Bella, an amused grin plastered on my face.

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching him not to play with his food?" I teased. She whipped her head around to look at me, the twinkle now back in her eyes as she narrowed them playfully.

"If a showdown at the Pancake Corral is what is takes to get him to eat his breakfast, then so be it." She stuck her tongue out at me in defiance and I laughed heartily, enjoying this playful side of her.

"Hi daddy!" I turned to beam at my son, who was grinning and waving wildly at me from the other side of Bella. I reached around her to ruffle his curly brown locks, noticing that he wore my patented disheveled look.

"Hey! I actually managed to tame his hair this morning, and you just ruined it," Bella pouted, earning another chuckle from me.

"If his hair is anything like mine, than I doubt it's possible to tame, love," I grinned. Her eyes widened slightly at the term of endearment, but she simply blushed and looked down to her plate, quickly shoveling in a mouthful of pancake.

"Geez, squirt, slow down!" Emmett bellowed from the other end of the table. "You're already on your third serving of pancakes, which is probably more than you've eaten all month," he said, only half teasing. I looked over at Bella and frowned as she blushed heavily and her eyes darted over to me and back to her plate.

"I always eat a lot when I come home. Esme's food is amazing," she mumbled.

"Emmett leave Bella alone!" Esme chastised, coming out of the kitchen with a fresh tray of bacon. "Bella don't you worry about him, just enjoy your breakfast." She kissed the top of Bella's head and placed another pancake on her plate, earning her a thousand watt smile before she pranced over to Emmett's chair and smacked him in the back of the head.

"You leave her alone, Emmett Cullen, or I won't make you a travel basket," she warned. Emmett's face suddenly drained of color and and he quickly mumbled a 'yes ma'am' before tucking back into his food. The table broke into chuckles as I looked around in confusion.

"Esme always makes each of us a basket with snacks and little gifts to take with us on our drive back to Seattle. I think Emmett would die without any food to eat on the journey," Bella giggled, rolling her eyes at my bear of a brother. I couldn't help but laugh with her, her good mood almost tangible in the air around us.

We all finished our breakfast rather quickly, and my siblings said their goodbyes and took their significant others to head back to the city. I helped my dad load Bella and Anthony's bags into her SUV before throwing my own in the back of my Volvo.

"Edward?" I turned to look at my father, who was watching me intently. "I love you, son, but I want you to be careful with Bella. She's come a long way since you left, and we're all so proud of her," he started. I looked down at my feet in shame, my vision clouding over with tears.

"I know you love her, and she loves you. But don't push her; she'll come to you when she's ready. Just be there for her and Anthony, and everything else will fall into place." I looked up slowly and nodded in understanding when our eyes connected. He offered me a sad smile before pulling me into a tight hug.

"I love you son, and I'm glad you're home. Don't be a stranger," he teased, pulling back from our hug.

"I love you too, dad. I'll be back to visit soon," I promised. "And dad?" I started, waiting until he looked at me to continue. "I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy, whether that means she's with me or not. I just want her to be happy," I whispered, dropping my gaze. His hand clapped my shoulder as he steered me back towards the house.

"That's what I wanted to hear, son." We walked up the porch steps just as the front door opened, revealing my mom, Bella and Anthony. Bella stepped to the side with Anthony on one arm and a large picnic basket in the other. I quickly grabbed the basket from her before leaning over to give my mom a hug.

"I'm so happy you're home," she cried into my shoulder, squeezing me tight.

"I know, mom. I'm happy too," I whispered. She pulled back slightly to kiss my cheek, staring intently into my eyes.

"Whatever your father said, ignore it," she whispered fiercely, just loud enough for me to hear. "Don't you dare let that woman slip through your fingers. You two belong together, so you better not screw this up!" she demanded. I chuckled softly and hugged her tight once again before kissing her cheek and stepping back. I tossed her a wink and a crooked grin and she smiled back before handing me a small bag.

"I put most of your things in Bella and Anthony's basket since you're going to the same place," she explained, winking at me before continuing, "but since you're riding in separate cars I made you some snacks for the road." She handed me the bag and I took it and thanked her before turning to walk down the porch steps.

Bella and Anthony said their goodbyes as I put the picnic basket in her passenger seat, and opened the back door for her to load Anthony into his carseat. She smiled at me shyly and stepped up to the car to settle him in, checking all the straps and buckles before turning to face me.

"If you want you can just follow me to the apartment. I usually make a stop about midway between here and Seattle to give Anthony a snack and let him use the bathroom. I can write down the directions for you if you want to go straight there," she offered, looking down at the ground.

"No, that's alright; I'd rather stop with you and Anthony if you don't mind." She looked up at me, smiling beautifully and nodded her head in agreement. I flashed her a smile before I gave Anthony a quick kiss on the forehead and shut his door, then turned to open Bella's for her. She rolled her eyes but smiled softly at me as she climbed into the driver's seat and started the ignition.

"Drive safe," I said, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She sucked in a breath of air and her eyes widened momentarily before she blushed and said she would. I closed her door and trotted over to my car, tossing a quick wink and a wave at my parents who were both chuckling at me from the porch.

**A/N: Well, Edward has some decisions to make. Who do you think he'll listen to: Esme or Carlisle? Maybe if you send me lots of reviews, I'll get the next chapter out there faster...just a thought =P**


	9. Edward's New Place

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Twilight...shocker, right?**

**A/N: So Bella and Edward are finally making their way to Seattle. Our favorite green-eyed beauty gets to spend a little bit more time with our not-quite-damsel in this chapter, so read and enjoy =)**

**Chapter 9**

**EPOV**

The drive went rather quickly. I trailed behind Bella, watching in amusement as Anthony's arms flailed around in the air, obviously enjoying whatever movie Bella had playing in the car's DVD player. We made a stop a little after two hours to walk around and stretch, and Bella dug some snacks out of the basket while I took Anthony to use the restroom. Twenty minutes later we were back on the road, and in about two more hours we were driving through the busy Seattle streets.

After endless maneuvering through the midday traffic, I finally pulled into the apartment complex's parking lot behind Bella. Parking was assigned, so I had to park a few rows away in the guest spots and jog over to Bella and Anthony. I quickly grabbed their bags and the basket before Bella could argue, and she unstrapped Anthony before leading the way to the elevator.

Her apartment was smaller than the one I had shared with Tanya, but still perfect for the two of them. My apartment with Tanya had been cold and contemporary, holding nothing of mine whatsoever. It felt more like a showpiece than a home. Bella's was nothing like that. I instantly felt comfortable in the space, as if I had lived here for years. It had that special Bella essence, and just felt right. The living room had a large sectional in the center, and pictures of our friends and family scattered throughout the entire room. On the far wall was a massive entertainment center with a flat screen TV. I looked at it in confusion for a moment, not quite able to picture Bella making such a purchase; she had never really been one to watch a lot of TV.

"It was a gift from Charlie," her voice explained from behind me. I turned to look at her and she smiled gently. "Emmett and Jasper teamed up to buy Anthony a Wii and nearly every game imaginable for his birthday, and Charlie insisted that he needed a proper TV to play on. He's not quite old enough for some of them, but the boys insisted that it was a necessity if I wanted my son to grow up normal," she chuckled. I smiled sadly, realizing this was one more thing that I should have been there to provide them with. She placed her tiny hand on my arm, pulling me out of my misery, and smiled softly at me.

"Come on, I'll show you the rest of the place. She led me to the large kitchen, and instructed me to place the picnic basket on the island. I looked around the room, amazed that the small apartment had such a nice kitchen attached to it.

"This was the reason I picked this place. Esme showed me a ton of other apartments that were all a little larger and more upscale, but none of them had a kitchen as big as this one. An updated kitchen was my one requirement while we were searching, and this one was perfect," she explained.

She led me out of the room and down a long hallway, showing me the guest bathroom and Anthony's bedroom. His room was painted light greyish blue, with navy and dark green accents throughout. His bed was a toddler bed, which Bella informed me he had just gotten about a month ago, with a headboard shaped like a soccer goal and sheets to match. I grinned over at Bella and she giggled back at me.

"He seems to love soccer as much as you do. Emmett wanted him to play football like him, but when Jasper brought out the soccer ball he fell in love," she chuckled. My chest swelled with pride as I looked over at Anthony, who had sprinted to his room as soon as we arrived and was now playing with toy dinosaurs on the floor. I had played on the varsity soccer team in high school, and I was thrilled that Anthony had inherited my love for the game.

"He's a lot like you," Bella said softly from my side. I looked over at her, my eyebrows scrunched in confusion, and she smiled down at our son.

"There's physical stuff, like your eyes and your grin, and his completely unmanageable hair," she giggled, "but it's not just that. He's just as charming, which you already know, having wrapped every single one of our friends and family members around his tiny little fingers; and he's incredibly talented. He learned everything so quickly; walking, talking, potty training...he's growing up fast," she finished quietly, a sad smile on her face. I reached over and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her to my chest as I held her tightly. She clung to me for a few minutes before taking a deep breath and stepping back, wiping the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks.

"You know, your mom has started giving him piano lessons on our visits," she said, her eyes sparkling again. My own eyes widened in surprise and I looked down at the little bundle making dinosaur noises at our feet. "He's not really sure what he's doing, but he tries so hard. His hands aren't quite big enough to play anything, but he's learning the notes quickly. He can already read music fairly well. He's a natural, just like you," she finished proudly, reaching down to ruffle his hair. He didn't even pause to acknowledge her touch, playing with his toys as if we weren't even there. She turned to lead me out of the room and walked to the last door in the hallway.

"Um...this is my room," she mumbled shyly, opening the door and gesturing inside. The phone in the entryway began to ring and Bella excused herself to answer it, leaving me alone in her bedroom.

I walked around the space slowly, taking in every detail. The walls were painted a soft sage green, with dark mahogany floors like the rest of the apartment. A large bay window sat on the left wall, open to the small park behind the apartment complex. The walls on either side of it housed small bookshelves packed to the brim, with more pictures of our friends and family adorning the walls above them. In the middle of the room, directly across from the door, sat a large queen sized mahogany sleigh bed with crisp white bedding, just begging me to lay down. I continued past it to the right wall, holding doors to both a walk-in closet, which was surprisingly full, and a large master bathroom with a jacuzzi tub. The large master suite was almost half the size of the apartment, and fit Bella's personality perfectly. It was simple and elegant, and had an extraordinary calming effect.

As I took one last look at the room, I noticed a brushed silver picture frame sitting on one of her bedside tables. I walked over and picked up the simple frame, a smile immediately spreading across my lips. It was a picture of our group on one of our annual summer camping trips. Rosalie was glaring at the side of Emmett's head as he held his mouth open wide, showing his mouthful of hotdog to the camera. Alice was beaming brightly on Emmett's other side, with Jasper standing behind her, a look of pure adoration in his eyes directed right at the little pixie. On the far right stood me and Bella. She had a gentle, carefree smile on her lips, lighting up her entire face. I stood behind her, with both arms wrapped around her waist, her back flush against my chest, and my chin resting on top of her head. The large grin on my face made it clear how happy I had been that day, given the opportunity to hold her in my arms.

That was the summer before my senior year, the last summer I went on the camping trip. I set the frame down gently and turned my attention to the one beside it. Tears welled in my eyes instantly. It was the same campground, with the same fire burning brightly in the background. But this picture was completely different. Our friends all held smiles on their faces, but they were significantly dimmer than the ones worn the previous summer. Emmett had one arm draped over Bella's shoulder, with Rose tucked into his other side. Alice stood on Bella's other side, their hands clasped tightly between them, while Jasper stood behind them with a hand on each girl's shoulder. Bella's free hand was resting protectively over her still flat stomach, that would soon begin to expand as Anthony grew.

I wasn't in this picture. I was at Dartmouth with Tanya. I was probably wasted while that picture was being taken, drowning my sorrows in a bottle of JD while my Bella faced the world without me. I set the picture back in its place and turned around quickly, only to find Bella smiling sadly at me from the doorway. She crossed the room slowly and reached up the wipe the tears that I hadn't realized had fallen.

"Quit beating yourself up, Edward. You can't change the past; all you can do is work toward the future," she stated simply.

"That was the leasing office on the phone," she sighed, changing the subject. "I called them on the drive over and they said they haven't had anyone come look at the apartment next door yet, so if you're interested we can go down and meet with one of the leasing agents." I nodded and offered her a small smile, and she turned to go get Anthony.

By the end of the afternoon I was being handed the keys to my very own apartment. My credit history was perfect, and since the complex was so close to the school they were used to getting first time renters. After I had provided them with all of the required paperwork and forms of identification, I signed my lease and wrote over a check for the first and last month's rent. I was able to get my water turned on that afternoon, but the electricity would have to wait until the morning. It wasn't until I walked into my new apartment for the first time that I realized I had bigger problems.

"Shit," I muttered, quickly shooting a glance over to Anthony who was sleeping soundly in Bella's arms.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking around the empty living room for the source of my dismay. I waved a hand in front of us in explanation and she quirked a perfect eyebrow at me.

"I don't have any furniture. I guess I need to at least see if I can get a mattress for tonight," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Bella giggled beside me and I looked over at her curiously.

"Edward, do you know your mother at all? Do you really think she would let you move into an apartment without any furniture?" she asked. My brow furrowed further in confusion.

"But it's getting late, and everything will be closing soon. How does she expect me to get furniture tonight?" Bella giggled again and shook her head at me turning around to walk back next door. I did a little internal happy dance as I thought about how close we really were, with nothing but a thin wall separating the two apartments.

Bella remained silent as she walked down the hallway, humming softly as she prepared Anthony for bed and tucked him in. She left the door to his bedroom cracked slightly before heading toward the door just as a knock sounded from the other side. A man in a blue jumpsuit and a gangly teenager in a white smock were standing in front of it, and Bella greeted them both sweetly. She took the bags from the boy and handed them back to me, pulling a wad of bills out of her pocket before paying him and sending him away. She then turned to the older man, explaining to him that the furniture could be delivered to the apartment just next door, to which he thanked her and walked back downstairs.

Bella turned to me with a smirk and took the bags back from my hands, walking to the kitchen as I stared at her dumbly. After a few moments of silence I made my way to the kitchen, where she had opened the bags to produce two servings of chicken alfredo with garlic bread. She pulled two forks out of a drawer and grabbed two bottles of water, before motioning for me to follow her. I let her lead the way out of the apartment, and watched her lock her door and head over to my own. She waltzed right into the living room, leaving the front door wide open, and plopped down at the window seat on the far wall, patting the space next to her. I grinned at her, finally catching on, and crossed the room to sit beside her.

"Esme made some calls as soon as we left and placed an order for all of the big pieces your going to need so it could be delivered for you tonight. She also transferred some money into my account so we can go to the mall and pick up anything you need, like bedding, bathroom supplies, and basic household items. Rose is on her way to pick up Anthony; he's going to stay with her and Emmett tonight so we can get your place all set up without having to worry about him. Now eat up, because as soon as the movers are done we need to head to the store." She quickly dug into her pasta, eating hungrily as I stared at her in shock.

"You really are amazing, Bella Swan," I said in awe. She had gone to all this trouble just to help me. After everything I had done to her, she was still going out of her way to make sure I was taken care of.

"I didn't do anything, it was all Esme," she rolled her eyes, gesturing for me to eat. "Besides, as a woman and a mother, I couldn't possibly sit back and let you take care of this on your own. _If_ it ever got done, I can guarantee you it would just be a huge mess and I'd have to step in and fix it anyways. I figure this way we can avoid all the drama and get it done right the first time," she grinned at me. I laughed loudly and rolled my eyes, shoveling in my pasta quickly as the first of the furniture made its way up to my apartment.

Bella quickly jumped into action, setting aside her empty tray to start directing the movers as to where the furniture should go. I sat quietly watching her while I ate, amazed by how different she was, and yet still the same. She confidently handed out orders, moving the men along quickly, but in the sweetest voice imaginable. Every single one of the men only had smiles for her as she commanded them around my apartment.

Rose came within the hour, and said a quick goodbye as she carried a still sleeping Anthony down to her car. Bella snapped right back into her zone and finished handing out directions, succeeding in having all of my furniture placed in the right spot in barely more than an hour. As the men brought up the last piece, Bella rushed over to her apartment, coming back with a dozen cookies for each worker, that she had somehow managed to whip up while they worked and I sat back in awe. My chest tightened a little as I watched them file out the door, each grabbing a bag of cookies as they placed a kiss on her cheek or pulled her into a hug. I quickly shoved down the jealousy and plastered on a smile when she finally turned to me.

"I know a fake smile when I see one, Edward," she sighed, placing her hands on her hips. I quirked an eyebrow at her and she simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Mother's intuition," she giggled, tapping her forehead. I chuckled with her before reaching up to run a hand through my hair.

"Come on, spill. We don't have all day," she chastised. I looked up at her, noticing the playful twinkle in her eyes, and marveled at how much she had grown up in the last four years. It seemed as if I was the younger of the two of us, and she was lightyears ahead of me.

"I was just wondering where my cookies are," I lied. I looked down at her with wide eyes, sticking my bottom lip out in a dramatic pout. She giggled at my childish behavior and put up her index finger, gesturing for me to give her a minute. She ran out the door and reappeared only moments later, with a large tupperware container. As soon as she placed it in my hands, her eyes dropped to the floor and her cheeks filled with color.

"I made the guys sugar cookies since their pretty quick and straightforward," she shrugged, still looking down. I watched her curiously for a moment before popping the lid, gasping as I took in the container that held at least four dozen oatmeal raisin cookies, complete with chocolate chips.

"You made me oatmeal raisin cookies?" I asked, a wide grin stretching across my face. She shrugged once more, slowly looking up to make eye contact.

"They used to be your favorite. You always asked me to make them with chocolate chips," she answered softly. Her eyebrows scrunched together and she looked quickly back down at her feet. "I probably should have asked if you still liked them. You don't have to eat them if you don't want to; they're Anthony's favorite too so he can have them if you don't want them," she said quickly. I set the container down on the entry table and went to stand in front of Bella, placing a hand under her chin to bring her face up.

"They're still my favorite, and I haven't had them in years; no one can make them like you do. Thank you," I said softly. I bent down to place a kiss on her cheek, lingering for a moment before pulling back. Her face was bright red at this point, but she smiled widely back at me.

"Well, we better head out if we want to get all of our shopping done before the mall closes," she said with a sigh. She hurried back over to her apartment to grab her purse and I followed her downstairs. We had the rest of the night to pick out the things I needed for my apartment, and take them back to set it all up. Who knows, maybe there will just be so many choices that we'll have to stretch this whole decorating thing out another day. I grinned to myself as I slipped into the passenger seat of Bella's SUV, actually eager for the first time in my life to go shopping.

**A/N: Well kids, I think I'll do BPOV next...whaddya think? Her and Edward and getting kinda chummy, and I think we need her take on the situation, don't you agree? Review plz, and I'll do my best to keep updating regularly!**


	10. Shopping With Edward

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**A/N: Time for a shopping trip! Our favorite little couple is on a mission to finish Edward's apartment, so they're spending a little quality time at the mall...read and enjoy =)**

**Chapter 10**

**BPOV**

The drive to the mall was relatively silent, but not uncomfortable. Despite everything we'd been through, nothing was ever uncomfortable with me and Edward. It always just felt so right; I guess that's why it hurt so much to have it thrown back in my face. We had always just clicked, and I knew we were perfect together; I had just never been able to make him see it.

I lead the way through the main entrance before making a beeline for Bed Bath and Beyond with Edward right behind me. We settled into an easy pattern while browsing through the store, and I had to pinch myself several times to remind me that we were here for _Edward's _apartment, not _our_ apartment.

I knew this was going to be a long night as soon as we walked through the doors, and every saleslady was openly ogling Edward. I mean, we weren't together, but we did come in together and we were obviously not related, so you would think they would just assume he was with me. Or maybe they did assume that, but knew that he could do better, thus aiming to snag him for themselves. Whatever the case, I started gnawing on my lip roughly, trying to hold myself back from ripping their throats out. Edward and I weren't a couple, so they had every right to make their moves. Maybe I could just casually mention _our _son...

"Bella? What's wrong?" I looked up into Edward's beautiful face, the intensity of his green eyes causing the breath to hitch in my throat. He gently moved his thumb up to tug my bottom lip out from between my teeth. The metallic flavor of blood rested on the tip of my tongue, and I realized I was biting my lip just a bit harder than I had realized.

"Um, nothing...just thinking," I hedged, quickly looking away. I had never been a good liar, and it was physically impossible for me to hide anything from Edward, especially when he was standing as close as he was, his intoxicating scent permeating the air around me. He opened his mouth to speak when a perky salesgirl bounced over to him.

"Is there anything I can help you with," she attempted to purr, placing her hand on his forearm. I fought the urge to gag, but instead rolled my eyes and sucked my lip back between my teeth. Edward watched me carefully for a moment, before realization dawned and the corner of his mouth twitched up.

"No, thank you. My fiance and I are just picking up a few things for our apartment," he replied, slipping his arm around my waist. My eyes snapped up to meet his amused gaze before a blush quickly filled my cheeks and I smiled tentatively at the quickly deflating blonde before us.

"Oh, well, my name is Kate. If you need anything, just give me a call," she hinted, her eyes lingering on Edward's firm chest just a moment longer before she backed away. I melted into his side, blowing out a loud breath of air, before my embarrassment quickly flooded back. I started to pull away from him, but his grip on my waist only tightened.

"Bella, as adorable as you are when you're jealous, you have nothing to worry about. I love you more than anyone in the world, and nothing or no one is going to change that," he said quietly, dipping down to look me in the eyes.

"I-I wasn't jealous," I stammered, quickly breaking eye contact. He chuckled quietly and released me from his grasp, reaching up to rub the back of his hand against my cheek.

"Whatever you say, love. Now come on, let's get back to shopping," he grabbed my hand and started pulling me further into the store, asking me questions about color schemes and textures.

I watched absentmindedly as he threw different items in the basket, occasionally giving a nod of approval or shaking my head in distaste. My mind, however, was far away from housewares, playing with Edward's casual use of the term 'fiance'. As vehemently as my brain fought against the ridiculous daydreams, my heart just kept bringing them up. I knew that it just wasn't right to pursue a relationship with Edward, but I couldn't deny that I wanted to.

As I finally began to pull myself back into reality, I took a few seconds to glance through what was in our shopping cart. My brow furrowed in confusion and I lifted a few items out, calling to Edward.

"This stuff is all kind of feminine, don't you think? Don't you want something more masculine? Like a bachelor pad?" I held up the comforter set and kitchen linens to prove my point. Edward just scrunched up his eyebrows and shook his head.

"I like them. I don't want a bachelor pad. I want a home, and that usually means having a feminine touch," he chuckled. I glanced down at the items in my hands. The kitchen set was a mixture of navy, chocolate brown, and cream, with a leaf motif along the edges of the towels and rug. The comforter was primarily white, with a thick red band running across the top and the silhouette of cherry blossom branches running from top to bottom, just off the center. It was somewhat neutral I suppose, but fairly feminine, and definitely my taste.

"Edward, please tell me you didn't get all of this because I like it. It's your apartment, and you have to be happy with it, not me," I argued. He turned to face me, tossing a set of red towels in the basket.

"Bella, I do like it. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't buy it," he sighed. I glared at him, not believing his argument. "Fine, you win. I 'm getting them because you like them," he conceded. I squinted my eyes at him in frustration and started removing things from the basket, but he quickly placed his hands over my own to stop me.

"I still want them, Bella. They might not be what I would pick out for myself, but they remind me of you, and I won't be comfortable in that apartment without them. You can kick and scream and throw a fit, but you are home to me, and I need a part of you in that apartment or I'll be miserable." He stared straight into my eyes as he spoke, and butterflies erupted in my stomach. I sucked in a ragged breath, and willed my heart not to beat right through my chest.

"How about a compromise?" I finally spoke, earning a wary look from Edward. "You keep the kitchen set, but we find you a slightly more masculine bedspread." He watched me closely for a moment before nodding his head and flashing me a crooked grin, making my heart skip a beat.

We settled on a plain white down comforter with navy sheets and pillowcases. With all of the big pieces out of the way, we focused on finding the little stuff like kitchen utensils and nicknacks, picking up an assortment of picture frames as well. I had already promised Edward a copy of every picture I had of Anthony, and he was going to need some way to display them. Edward pushed his basket toward the registers while I brought the second cart we had managed to fill. The total was ridiculously high, but Esme had transferred more than enough into my account, and we had been able to furnish his entire apartment.

The only room we had yet to shop for was the second bedroom. Edward insisted on making it a room for Anthony, even though I argued that all he had to do was carry him next door when it was time for bed. But when he flashed me the most heartbreaking pout I had ever seen, I knew I was no match. I couldn't deny him his right to have a room for Anthony in his own apartment, and it really would come in handy if Anthony ever wanted or needed to stay the night over there. When I finally conceded Edward led us proudly through the mall, in search of the perfect bed for Anthony.

After hours of scouring every furniture store in the mall, Edward finally found a bed he deemed worthy of our son. It was a loft bed that was built to resemble a castle, with the bed sitting in the tower. A drawbridge underneath opened to reveal a small play area, with plenty of room for the beanbag chair Edward had insisted on buying, as well as a whole new slew of toys. Anthony truly was the most loved child in Seattle.

Since the bed took up such a large amount of space, the only other pieces we needed to buy were a small dresser and a shelving unit that would house all of his books and toys as well as a small TV. It seemed like a bit much to me, but Edward was adamant that there was no such thing as too much when it came to Anthony. I had to admit, I enjoyed watching Edward shop for our son quite a bit. This was what it should have been like from the beginning: just the three of us.

With our purchases made, Edward arranged to have Anthony's bedroom furniture delivered tomorrow and we carried all of our bags out to my car. It took us a little over three hours to get Edward's house put together. It would have been much worse if Edward had brought any personal items with him, but he had only two duffel bags worth of clothes, CDs, and a few random items that he had brought with him back to Washington. Alice was definitely going to have a field day when she saw how empty his closet was. The poor man would have no idea what hit him. Then again, she is his sister, so he's probably used to it by now.

My eyes started drooping closed as I placed the last of the dishes in his cabinets. The place looked pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. I sighed heavily and leaned back against the counter, rubbing my hands over my face.

"Are you alright?" Edward's velvet voice reached my ears, and I fought to open my eyes so I could see his face.

"Yeah, just tired. It's been a long day," I mumbled. I stifled a yawn that was threatening to escape, and Edward's chuckle rang through the quiet apartment.

"I guess I have kept you pretty busy today. Why don't you go home and get some sleep? I can even pick Anthony up from Rose and Emmett's in the morning if you'd like," he offered. I smiled up at him weekly but shook my head.

"Thanks, but Rose offered to drop him off around nine when she left for class." I paused for a moment before looking up at him nervously. "Um...do you think we could like, exchange cell numbers? I mean, just in case you need anything, or I need help with Anthony or something?" I rambled. Edward's face lit up with a wide grin, and he eagerly reached into his pocket to grab his phone.

"Of course! And you know, you can call me anytime if you need me to take Anthony, or if you just need a break or anything. I'd be more than happy to watch him whenever you need somebody," he offered. I smiled up at him as I quickly entered my information into his phone and traded back.

"Thanks, Edward. Well, I guess I need to get going. Um...I guess just let me know if there's anything else you need, and if you want I can take you to go get some groceries tomorrow," I suggested. Edward quirked an eyebrow at me and I quickly backtracked.

"I mean, not that you need me to help you or anything, I just thought, you know, since you don't know the area very well I could show you where the best stores are. But it's totally fine if you want to tackle that by yourself, so don't feel like you have to say yes. I'm sure you can get groceries by yourself. But if you want me to help, then I can. I mean, you don't have to ride with me or anything, you can even take your own car-" Edward quickly cut off my rambling by placing a large hand over my mouth, his green eyes dancing with amusement.

"Bella, I would like it very much if you would take me grocery shopping tomorrow. Just let me know what time is best for you, and I'll be ready to go." He smiled gently at me and removed his hand, and I instantly missed his touch. I shook my head to dispel that thought and straightened up, turning toward the door.

"Oh, and Bella?" I turned back to look at Edward, who was now fidgeting uncomfortably. "You don't always have to wait until you need something to call. I mean, I'm always here if you just want to talk or something." He shuffled his feet, his eyes looking everywhere but at me. I giggled quietly and walked back over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist in a quick hug. I relished the feel of his body against mine while his arms tightened around me, before I slowly pulled away.

"Thanks, Edward." I turned around to walk back to the door, smiling softly at him before wishing him a good night and heading into my own apartment. I walked through the empty space, immediately missing Edward's company, and trudged into my master bathroom. I took a long, hot shower to soothe my aching muscles, then pulled on some sweats and a tank top before crawling into my bed.

Today definitely didn't go as I had planned. I was supposed to be having a platonic relationship with Edward for the sake of Anthony. We were supposed to tolerate one another in order for our son to have both of his parents in his life, without the stress of our complicated relationship. This was supposed to be simple and straightforward, and generally stress-free.

Instead, I was spending my day shopping for 'our' apartment, daydreaming about being his fiance, using our son as an excuse to have his cell phone number, and longing to head back to his bedroom instead of my own.

My internal rant was interrupted by the chirping of my cell phone. I frowned in confusion before reaching over to pick it up, unable to help the grin that formed on my face when I saw who the incoming message was from.

_**Goodnight, love. Sweet dreams. - E**_

This was _not_ turning out how it was supposed to.

**A/N: We all know that Bella is completely incapable of resisting Edward's charms. Despite their day of bonding and alone time, they aren't quite at the kiss and make up stage. Stick with me for a little while longer, and they'll get there, I promise. R&R plz!**


	11. Nurse Bella

**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Twilight =(**

**A/N: Now that Edward's all settled in, it's time for the little family to get back to their 'normal' routines. Let's see how Edward fits into them...=)**

**Chapter 11**

**EPOV**

I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I was definitely worn out after a day of shopping and unpacking. It was a good thing Bella was there to help me, or I don't know how I would've managed.

Of course, I probably liked having Bella there a little more than I should. I was supposed to be taking things slow, earning back her trust before I even entertained the idea of a relationship between the two of us. But when she was around, I just couldn't help myself. I spent almost the entire day fantasizing that we were shopping for 'our' apartment, and we truly were a family. It was becoming harder than I had anticipated to follow the plan, and it had only been one day.

My dreams that night centered around the same subject as my daydreams had earlier in the evening. I envisioned Bella stirring something that smelled delicious on the stove, with a small bronze-haired bundle in her arms. I watched her from the doorway as Anthony giggled loudly in the living room, playing a game of hide-and-seek with a cluster of mini Bella and Edward's.

My love turned around, noticing my presence, and a gentle smile graced her beautiful lips. She looked healthier...happy. She had filled out slightly after having given birth to a houseful of my children, and her cheeks held a permanent glow. The love in her eyes was unmistakable, and I marveled at how right this felt, not hearing what she had just asked me.

"Edward?" I shook my head to clear it, then looked down to meet my lovely wife's concerned gaze.

"Edward?" I heard her voice again, but her lips weren't moving. My head tilted to the side in confusion, and the world around me instantly disappeared.

"Edward?" My eyes snapped open, revealing my Bella's concerned gaze once more. It was different now. There were dark rings beneath her eyes, and her figure was thin and sharp, the beautiful glow now gone from her cheeks. She was running a hand tenderly through my hair, while the other pressed gently against my forehead and cheeks, her icy skin causing me to shiver.

"Edward, are you alright? I've been calling you all morning but you weren't answering, so I let myself in. I hope that's alright, I was just worried that something may have happened," she said in a rush. Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth, and there was a deep crease between her eyes. I sat up slowly, my head spinning sickeningly, and looked around my room. The clock on my bedside table read just after ten in the morning. I cleared my throat, wincing at the sharp pain, and smiled at her reassuringly.

"Of course, Bella. You don't need my permission to come over. I guess I was just worn out from yesterday; I didn't even hear my phone ringing." I leaned over to pick my phone up from the nightstand and checked it to see that I had missed eight calls and four text messages, all from Bella.

"Edward, you're burning up. I think you have a fever." She reached her icy hand up to my forehead once more to prove her point, and I winced at the temperature difference. Her forehead crumpled in concern, before hardening with determination. She reached over and plucked my cellphone out of my hand, before skipping to my bathroom and reemerging moments later, a small bag in hand.

"Come on, you're staying at my place for the day so I can watch you." She reached for my hand and gently led me out of bed. I followed her mutely to my bedroom door before I shook myself out of my daze.

"No, Bella, I don't want to get you or Anthony sick. I'll be fine over here, I promise." I said the words in what I hoped was a firm voice, but a part of me was longing to let her take care of me for the day. I couldn't deny that the vision of her in a nurse's outfit might have crossed my mind at some point. I looked down at her as she was already shaking her head.

"Emmett called this morning and asked if he could keep Anthony for the day, so he's not even home. And I haven't been sick since elementary school, so don't worry about me. I'm not going to leave you to sit in this empty apartment all day, so quit arguing and just follow me," she commanded, spinning on her heal to march down the hallway. I remained motionless for a moment longer before releasing a sigh of defeat, and followed her next door.

As soon as I entered her apartment, she grabbed my hand and tugged me down the hall to her room. I was quickly ushered over to her bed, and she pulled the blankets back to let me climb in. Once I was comfortable she pulled the blanket back up to my chest and thoroughly tucked me in, and I fought the urge to chuckle. With a quick order for me not to move, she hurried out of the room, leaving the door cracked behind her.

I released a heavy sigh and settle down into the bed, savoring the scent of Bella that clung to the blankets. My eyelids instantly drooped, and the next thing I knew I was being shaken gently by my angel.

"Edward, sweetie, I know you're tired, but you need to eat something," she encouraged softly. I cracked my eyelids open slightly to see her standing beside the bed, a tray of food clutched in her hands. I wanted to sit up and eat, if only to make her happy, but my body wouldn't respond to my wishes. Instead, my eyes drifted closed and my body relaxed into the mattress.

"Please, Edward? For me?" My eyes cracked open once more, and took in Bella's distraught expression. My body instantly responded, unable to deny her even the simplest request. I forced myself into an upright position, and she gently placed the tray across my lap.

"I wasn't sure what you would be hungry for, so I just made a little bit of everything," she mumbled. The tray held a bowl of what looked like homemade chicken soup, with a small plate of toast off to the side. There was a bowl of oatmeal as well, and a glass of orange juice in the corner. I really wasn't hungry, but I couldn't stand seeing her upset, so I managed a small smile and picked up the fork.

"Thank you, Bella. You didn't have to do all of this for me," I insisted, my voice hoarse. She rolled her eyes in dismissal and disappeared into the bathroom, coming back seconds later with a thermometer in her hand. I allowed her to take my temperature, causing the crease to reappear between her eyes, before she mumbled about needing to get something in the living room and disappeared. I had finished the toast and almost all of the chicken soup by the time she returned. I quickly chugged the orange juice after receiving a not-so-intimidating death glare, and she carried the tray back out to the kitchen.

"Um...I brought a few movies over from your place. I don't really have many, and I didn't want you to be bored out of your mind." Bella placed a handful of DVD cases on the bed with a shrug, her eyes glued to the floor. I smiled at her choices, pointing to one before I thanked her. She put it in the player quickly, then turned to leave the room.

"Can't you stay in here with me?" I asked hurriedly, wanting her company more than anything. She turned to face me, nibbling on her bottom lip. "I mean, I just don't want to sit here by myself all day. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to," I shrugged, trying not to seem to eager.

"Well, I had some work to get done, and I didn't want to bother you..." she started.

"Bella, you could never bother me," I cut her off. A light blush rose to her cheeks, then she nodded and motioned for me to give her a minute. She returned just before the previews ended, with a bowl of popcorn, two bottles of water, and a thick bundle of papers. She handed me a bottle of water before climbing onto the other side of the bed, placing the popcorn bowl between us. I watched her curiously as she pulled a clip from the top of the papers, leafing through to the middle before she settled back against the headboard.

"What kind of work are you doing?" I asked, more interested in her than the movie. She quirked an eyebrow at me, and I stuttered out an apology.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be nosy. I was just curious; I haven't heard you mention your job before," I explained. She flashed me a breathtaking smile, making my heart skip a beat.

"I work for a publishing company, actually. I'm a freelance editor, so I can work from home. It's just part-time, since I'm still a student, but it's a job," she shrugged. "My boss's daughter, Angela, is in my English literature class. She talked her dad into giving me the spot. If all goes well, he'll hire me on at the end of the semester," she explained, a wide smile on her face. I smiled back, an instant reaction to her happiness.

"That's great, Bella. So is that what you're going to do once you finish school? Work in publishing?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders, that familiar blush once again rising to her cheeks.

"Well, I would really like to be a writer, but it's really hard to get things published. That's why this job is so great; if I can stay with them throughout the next few years of my school, then they'll be more willing to publish my work than if I just sent it out to some random firms." She kept her gaze locked on her hand as she spoke, her fingers picking nervously at the edge of the manuscript she was holding. I gently reached out a hand to place over hers, stilling them.

"That's great, Bella. I remember reading some of the pieces you wrote in high school just for fun, and they were fantastic. I can't even imagine how great our work is when you're actually trying to be good," I encouraged. She mumbled a 'thank you', still blushing from the compliment, and reached down to pick the manuscript back up. I settled back into the blankets, laying on my side to watch Bella work as my eyes drifted shut.

"Daddy!" My eyes fluttered open at the sound of my son's voice. I turned my head, looking around at the unfamiliar room, a small smile coming to my lips as I realized where I was.

"Shh, Anthony you need to be quiet, baby. Daddy's sick and he needs to sleep," Bella's voice whispered from the hallway. I leaned up on my elbows and looked to the door, barely able to make out their silhouettes in the doorway.

"Look, mama! He's awake!" Anthony grabbed Bella's hand, tugging on it while pointing at me. I grinned at him and sat up, opening my arms to him in invitation. He giggled and launched himself into the room, scrambling up the bed and into my arms.

"Hey, buddy, I missed you. Did you have fun with your Uncle Emmett?" I asked, kissing the top of his head. Bella rushed over to the bed, trying to calm our bouncing son.

"Anthony you need to be careful, baby. I told you Daddy's sick, remember?" she warned him, running a hand through his dark curls to calm him. He stopped bouncing and turned to look at me with wide eyes.

"Daddy, why are you sick?" he demanded, his big brown eyes becoming glassy with tears. I quickly pulled him to my chest, rubbing his back to soothe him.

"Actually, I feel a lot better now that your mom took care of me and I got a little sleep," I reassured him. He turned to look up at me, a wide grin now lighting up his face.

"Did she make you her special soup? That always makes me feel better," he told me, looking to Bella for confirmation. She smiled down at him, nodding before reaching over to grab the thermometer from the bedside table. She quickly popped it into my mouth, not giving me a chance to argue, and instructed me to sit still while it gauged my temperature. When it beeped moments later she retrieved it, smiling at the results.

"Well, your temperature is back to normal. How are you feeling?" she asked, studying my face carefully. My heart swelled at how natural it seemed for her to take care of me, and I felt myself longing for the time when she can do so in 'our' home.

"Much better," I finally answered. "I'm a little groggy, but other than that I feel fine." She smiled brightly and excused herself from the room with a promise to return shortly. I settled back into the pillows with my arms folded behind my head, Anthony at my side, both of us now focused on the movie that was playing on Bella's TV. My concentration was broken shortly by Bella's soft laughter coming from the doorway, and I turned to her in confusion.

"That's the cutest thing I've ever seen," she said, gesturing to my side. I looked over at Anthony, who had fallen asleep mirroring my position. I chuckled softly and leaned over to cover him with the blanket before crawling out of the bed. I looked down to notice my crumpled t-shirt and sleep shorts, realizing that I probably don't smell so great after spending an entire day laying in bed. My face flushed slightly in embarrassment and looked to Bella nervously.

"Um...I should probably go get cleaned up," I muttered, rubbing my hand through my greasy hair. Bella rolled her eyes and walked to the window seat, picking up the bag that was sitting there.

"I packed you some clothes and toiletries this morning. I thought you might want a shower when you started feeling better, and didn't know if you'd be well enough to go home yet," she shrugged. I took the back from her with a quiet 'thank you', and disappeared into her bathroom.

I emerged twenty minutes later, thoroughly cleaned from head to toe. I had put on the track pants and t-shirt she packed from me, and I padded quietly into the living room where she was watching Anthony play on his Wii. She looked up when I entered the room, and an easy smile instantly formed on her face.

"Better?" she giggled. I smiled and nodded my head, thanking her again for bringing my things over.

"Well, I don't know if you're hungry or not but I have some dinner heating up in the kitchen," she offered.

"I'm starving, actually," I chuckled. She smiled up at me then stood to head back into the kitchen, waving off my offer to help. I stayed with Anthony instead and cheered him on as he played baseball, throwing him up in the air when his team won the game. He was giggling wildly in my arms when Bella walked into the room, smiling at us in amusement. We tossed her matching grins and she giggled, rolling her eyes, motioning for me to bring Anthony into the kitchen.

I sat Anthony down in his chair at the little table in the breakfast nook, and Bella placed a small plate of macaroni and chicken nuggets in front of him. I reached over and cut his food into small bites absentmindedly while Bella walked back over to the stove, plating our food. She came back a few seconds later with two plates of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans, handing me one as she took her seat across from me.

"Do you want me to cut your food, baby?" she asked sweetly, looking over at our son. He shook his head 'no', unable to speak through his mouthful of macaroni, and pointed down at his plate. She looked up at me in confusion, and I ran a hand nervously through my hair.

"Sorry, I already cut it for him. I should have asked you first," I apologized. She shook her head quickly, an odd look on her face.

"No, no, it's fine. You don't need to ask me about things like that; he's your son too," she shrugged, still looking at me curiously. We ate the rest of our dinner mostly in silence, listening to Anthony go on and on about Emmett's wild antics from their afternoon.

I glanced over at Bella throughout our meal, once again reveling at how natural this all felt. This is how things should be: the three of us eating our meal together, sharing stories about our day. I smiled to myself as I relaxed into my chair, watching the angel that sat across from me. I needed Bella and Anthony in my life, and I was going to do whatever it takes to have them, both of them.

**A/N: Okay, I just want to clear a few things up. I've gotten a few pms about how it seems like Bella isn't fighting Edward very much on this whole "getting closer" thing. I want to point out that neither of them is really trying to have a relationship with one another at this point, it's just happening. Fate seems to want these two together, and it feels so natural that Bella can't help but go along with it. I'll have her POV next, so hopefully that will help clear everything up. In the meantime, review plz!**


	12. Catty Soccer Moms

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight...and I'm not Stephanie Meyer...so I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: Okay, I think it's time to get Bella's take on things. Things seem to be going pretty well with her and Edward, so let's see how she feels about this, okay?**

**Chapter 12**

**BPOV**

Edward and I ate dinner in silence as we listened to Anthony's stories about Emmett's antics. Well, I tried to listen, but I found myself watching Edward throughout the entire meal. These last few days had been so strange; it felt as if I was living in a dream. I kept waiting for myself to wake up, and for Edward to disappear, but it never happened.

I had gone into full-on panic mode this morning when I couldn't get ahold of Edward. I was going to ask him if he wanted to go to the store with me, but he wasn't answering his phone. At first I thought that maybe he was just in the shower, or maybe still sleeping. But when it continued to go to voicemail, I envisioned the worst: he left again, he was hurt, someone had broken in, etc...none of which were things I could live with.

I stared at the key hanging by my front door for what felt like hours, finally deciding to just take the chance. I let myself into his apartment, heading straight to his bedroom, and my heart broke at what I found. He was lying in bed, the sheets and blanket pushed down to his feet, covered in sweet, with a serene smile on his lips. I watched him for a few seconds before crossing over to his side, and gently tried to shake him awake.

When I realized he was sick, I didn't even pause to think about what I was going to do. There was no way I could just leave him to sit in this apartment all day by myself. And if I was being honest, a part of me was thrilled at the idea of being able to take care of him, for the excuse to be so close to him.

I spent the rest of the day trying to make him comfortable, and reveling in how right it felt to be with him. Logically I knew that we needed to take things slow, and that I shouldn't even consider having a relationship with him right now, if ever. But my heart wasn't quite up to speed with my brain; my heart was telling me to throw myself at him, consequences be damned, and make him mine. I fought with myself throughout the rest of the day, forcing myself to slow down. It wasn't just about me anymore; I needed to think about Anthony too.

Then it was almost as if Edward could hear my thoughts. His face lit up when Anthony came home, and he eagerly wrapped him in his arms, asking him about his day. The two of them stretched out on my bed, and the similarities between them brought tears to my eyes. It seemed as if Edward had been here all along, the two were so alike.

Edward was such a natural with him. He seemed to know exactly what to do without even having to think about it. He carried him around the house as if that's what arms were made for, and he got right into Anthony's game without any hesitation. Then at dinner, he brought Anthony to the table and helped him cut up his food like this was something he did every day. He was making it harder and harder for my head to stay separate from my heart. How could I resist him when it seemed so right to embrace him?

I shook my head, attempting to clear it, as I realized that Edward had been asking me a question. He was washing the dishes from our meal and handing them to me to dry and put away, another detail that I did not let go unnoticed.

"I'm sorry...what?" I turned my head to the side to cast him an apologetic smile, earning a heart-stopping crooked grin in return.

"I asked what you and Anthony were doing tonight?" he said. I quickly searched my mind, knowing there was something on the schedule that I was forgetting. Something important...something with Emmett...

"Oh! I almost forgot!" I left the kitchen and hurried down the hallway to Anthony's room where he was playing quietly with his toy trucks.

"Anthony, get ready for your practice. We have to leave in ten minutes, okay?" He nodded his understanding and stood to open his dresser, pulling out a change of clothes. I shut his door and turned to go back to the kitchen, where Edward was finishing up the dishes.

"Is everything alright?" he looked at me with concern.

"Yeah, actually, I just forgot that Anthony has little league today," I replied. Curiosity sparked in his eyes, giving me an idea.

"Would you like to come?" I asked. His face lit up with joy, and he nodded like a bobblehead. I giggled quietly at him, shaking my head in amusement.

"Well, we're leaving in ten minutes. You might want to go get changed, and I'll get Anthony ready." He nodded again and practically skipped over to the door.

"Oh! And Edward?" I called. He turned to face me, his hand on the doorknob.

"Make sure you bring a jacket. I know you feel better, but you're not fully recovered yet and I'd rather stay on the safe side," I instructed. He rolled his eyes and smirked at me.

"Yes, dear." He quickly stepped outside, leaving me in the empty entryway. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my now racing heart. That one simple word, meant to be a joke, had sent my heart into overdrive. I didn't want it to be a joke. I wanted Edward to be mine, and I wanted to be his.

"Momma, can you help me with my shoes?" I was broken out of my meltdown by my son's voice, and I pulled him onto the couch so I could slip on his shoes. I hurried to my bedroom to change into a pair of jeans, a blue v-neck sweater, and my converse, pulling my hair back into a ponytail before going back out into the living room. I was just pulling on mine and Anthony's coats when Edward opened the door.

"You guys ready?" I stared at him for a moment, unable to speak. He was dressed in a light, well-worn pair of blue jeans, paired with a dark green long-sleeved shirt and a pair of Adidas. Nothing too special in general, but on him it was amazing. I averted my eyes in an attempted to give my brain a chance to reboot, then looked back up at him with a smile. He was now wearing a smug grin on that perfect face, instantly causing my cheeks to flush.

"Um...yeah, we're ready," I mumbled. I grabbed my purse of the entry table and picked Anthony up, following Edward downstairs. We all piled into my car again, and I pulled out of the parking lot in the direction of the park.

The drive only lasted ten minutes, and was filled with Anthony's constant chatter. It seemed that his goal was to fill Edward in on every practice his little league team had ever had. I smiled at him in the rearview mirror, happy that he had taken to Edward so easily. Of course, as much as they had in common, and as charming as Edward was, I really couldn't imagine it going any less smoothly.

I pulled into the parking lot and Edward came around the car to get Anthony out. The three of us walked over to the soccer fields, where a small group of kids had already gathered. Emmett and Jasper were standing in the middle of them, and turned to toss us all a quick wave before getting all the kids' attention. Edward sat Anthony down, who gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before running off to join his friends.

"Bella!" I fought the urge to roll my eyes, turning to face the group of other parents.

"Hi, Jake," I muttered, trying not to sound too irritated. Edward picked up on my mood, and looked back and forth between me and Jake quizzically, taking a small step closer to me.

"It's good to see you! Are you coming to the game this weekend?" His eyes shifted from me to Edward, and he angled his body so that it was obvious Edward wasn't included in the conversation.

"Of course I am, Jake. Is Anthony supposed to take himself?" I asked, having no patience for him today. His eyebrows drew together, and he tilted his head to the side.

"Are you okay, Bella? You seem tense," he asked. He reached a hand out to cup my cheek, and I pulled away from him, leaning closer to Edward. Edward quickly put his arm around my waist, burning Jake with his eyes. I suppressed the giggle that was threatening to escape at his show of possessiveness, and the simultaneous swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jake. Just a little tired, I guess. I think I'm gonna go sit down." I turned to walk away, noticing the glare that Jake had aimed at Edward, hoping to avoid a pissing contest between the two of them. Edward tightened his arm around my waist, leading me toward the small set of bleachers on the side of the field.

"Who was he?" Edward asked, not hiding the venom in his voice very well. I rolled my eyes at him in annoyance, but I was doing an internal happy dance at the jealousy that seeped into his words.

"That's Jacob Black. He and his ex-wife, Leah, share joint custody of their son, Seth. He's not a bad guy, I guess, he just gets on my nerves. He's always trying to play the 'struggling single father' card, which is kinda hard when you consider that his wife has their son five days out of the week because Jake didn't want to get a place closer to Seth's school. Apparently that neighborhood isn't trendy enough for him; too many happy families, not enough cheap floozies." I rolled my eyes as I explained the life of my unwanted admirer. Edward tensed beside me, turning around to squint his eyes at Jake.

"I don't like the way he looks at you," he muttered. I giggled quietly, earning myself a frown in return.

"And how does he look at me, Edward?" I asked, smirking at his annoyed expression.

"He looks at you like you're something to eat," he growled. I looked at him disbelievingly, and his features became softer, more playful.

"Of course, I can't say that I blame him, really. You do taste delicious," he grinned. I tilted my head to the side, about to spit out a witty comeback, but was stopped in my tracks when Edward leaned down, sticking his tongue out to quickly lick the side of my neck. My eyes widened in shock as my face blushed crimson, and I reached out to smack him in the arm.

"Edward!" I squeaked, looking around to see if anyone had witnessed that. He laughed heartily beside me, and I shot him a glare, trying desperately to conceal the desire his little act had caused to well up in the pit of my stomach.

"What?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders as if nothing had happened. His deep green eyes were sparkling playfully, and I felt the corner of my mouth twitch up at the corner reflexively. I shook my head at him, trying to hold onto my glare unsuccessfully, and stomped off toward the bleachers.

"Hey, Bella! How's it going, beautiful?" I smiled tightly at Mike, who was standing beside the bleachers, his wife and the other harpies gossiping like teenagers behind him.

"Hey, Mike, I'm doing good. How are you?" I asked politely. I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat as his eyes traveled unabashedly over my body.

"Good now that you're here," he answered, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. I opened my mouth to shoot him down when a throat cleared behind me. Mike's eyes narrowed at the intruder, and I knew instantly who it was. Just as I turned to introduce the two, a sharp nasally voice sounded from Mike's side.

"Bella, sweetie, it's sooo good to see you!" I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to hide it, as Lauren and Jessica came into view.

"Oh, I didn't realize you brought a guest," she attempted to purr. "Well, don't be rude darling! Aren't you going to introduce us?" Lauren batted her eyelashes at Edward, and I felt the sudden urge to rip out her cheap platinum blonde extensions.

"This is Edward. Edward, meet Lauren, Jessica, and Mike," I spit through clenched teeth. Mike glared furiously at Edward, while Jessica's eyes traveled up and down his body, completely disregarding the fact that her husband was less than a foot away from her. Lauren stepped forward until she was only inches away from Edward, lifting up her hand as if giving him permission to kiss it. Edward took the tips of her fingers in his in a loose handshake, dropping them quickly as if they were on fire.

"It's nice to meet you all," he said tonelessly, wrapping both arms around my waist. "Let's move to the bleachers, love. I want to watch Anthony play." He leaned down to place a lingering kiss on my temple, then turned to lead me toward the bleachers. A smug smile turned up the corners of my mouth as Jessica's jaw dropped open and Lauren and Mike glared furiously at me and Edward respectively.

"So, Bella, how do you and Edward know one another?" Lauren asked, her voice sickeningly sweet as she followed us to sit.

"Edward is Emmett's younger brother," I started, "and Anthony's father." I watched with a smirk as fire blazed behind Lauren's cloudy blue eyes, and Edward smiled proudly.

"How the hell," she spat angrily,"did _you_ get _him_!" I couldn't help the giggle that popped out of my mouth as the trio watched me warily and Edward tightened his arm around my waist.

"Lauren, sweetie, green really isn't a good color on you," I giggled, turning around to look at the field. She growled angrily behind me, jumping up to snatch her son off the field and storming off toward her car. Jessica and Mike followed her quickly, picking up their daughter and leaving practice. We sat in silence for a minute, until Edward cleared his throat to get my attention.

"Bella, you know she was just being a bitch, right? She's just trying to hurt your feelings," he said softly. I rolled my eyes and released a very unladylike snort.

"She wasn't just trying to be mean, she really meant it. I know it's not true; she says shit like that to me all the time. I try not to take anything she says to me to heart. She's just pissed that I stole her sugar daddies," I laughed. Edward quirked an eyebrow at me, waiting for an explanation.

"Lauren's the resident homewrecker. She was sleeping with anyone and everyone until I came along. Jake used to be her go-to guy; she's actually the reason Leah divorced him. But now that he's set his sights on me, he doesn't want her anymore. She was fucking Mike too, even though he's married to her 'best friend'. Now that he's done with her, she's having to turn to guys outside the little league circle. She blames me for the 'inconvenience'," I laughed, rolling my eyes. Edward chuckled and shook his head, running a hand through his messy bronze locks.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you," I warned. "I'm pretty sure you're her new target. Add the fact that you're with me, and I'm pretty sure she's never gonna give up." Edward's eyes widened, then he groaned loudly and dropped his head in his hands. I giggled and bumped him with my shoulder, causing him to flash me crooked smirk.

Edward and I sat in a companionable silence for the rest of the practice, watching Jasper attempt to teach Anthony how to dribble a ball. He had the basic concept down, and he had a nice strong kick, but he wasn't quite coordinated enough yet to keep up. Edward chuckled continuously over how big the ball was compared to our son, but complimented him profusely as we led him off the field at the end of the night. He fell asleep before we even left the parking lot, and Edward carried him upstairs, putting him to bed once we got home.

I promised to take Edward grocery shopping the next day, and with a kiss on the cheek and a quiet goodnight, he walked next door to his apartment. I drifted off to sleep quickly, a peaceful smile on my lips. My dreams were simple that night: just me, Edward, Anthony, and a little cottage in the woods.

**A/N: Sooo, whaddya think about BPOV? I hope I got her feelings about her and Edward's relationship across alright...if it's still kinda fuzzy, just lemme know and I'll try to clear it up more in the next chapter. I also brought in a few more characters in this chapter; lemme know what you think about them...and if you've read my other stories, then you know I'm not a huge fan of Jacob's...sorry! =P**


	13. Grocery Shopping

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga.**

**A/N: I just wanna say thanks for all of the reviews...y'all are awesome =) I don't usually have time to respond to all of them, but I promise that I do read each and every one, and they mean a lot to me! So keep reading, keep reviewing, and enjoy!**

**Chapter 13**

**BPOV**

"I'll tell you what: if you can behave while mommy's shopping, I'll give you two dollars to spend on the way out. Deal?" I knelt down at eye level with my son, who was staring longingly at the fifty cent machines in front of the grocery store. He squinted his little eyes, thinking hard about my offer, and finally nodded his head in acceptance.

"Alright, let's get going then." I scooped Anthony up in my arms, cradling him to my chest as we walked through the automatic doors, his little arms circling my neck. I quickly grabbed an empty basket and settled him into the seat, buckling him in to make sure he didn't try to climb out. Edward reached across me to take over the basket, and we strolled side by side toward the aisles.

Edward had been in Seattle for just two days, but so far every meal had been eaten at my apartment. Not that I was complaining, it was really nice to have him around, but it would probably be best if he had food to eat at his own place. I was pretty sure he enjoyed eating over, but I didn't want him to feel like he had no other options.

I became more and more disappointed as we walked through the aisles. Edward had no idea how to cook. At all. He could whip up some eggs and bacon, and he was pretty good on the grill, but that was the extent of his culinary expertise. With every frozen dinner and bag of chips he threw in the cart, my decision became much clearer. When he reached for a twenty-four pack of hot pockets, I had finally had enough.

"Okay, this isn't going to work," I sighed, shaking my head in frustration. Edward stared dumbly at me, holding a bag of pizza rolls in mid-air.

"Is this what you've been eating for the past two years?" I asked. He glanced at the basket and nodded, shrugging his shoulders as if it was no big deal. I groaned loudly and pinched the bridge of my nose, then leaned over and started unloading his items from the basket.

"Hey! I like those!" he declared, clutching the hot pockets to his chest. I gave him my well-honed 'mom glare', and he quickly set the hot pockets back down.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, what is wrong with you?" I sighed. "You're poor mother would have an anxiety attack if she knew that this is what you were living off of! It's a miracle you don't weigh four hundred pounds or have salt pouring out your ears. I'm putting a stop to this," I announced, turning the basket around.

Anthony giggled as I marched through the aisles, tossing various items into the basket. Edward strolled behind me, easily keeping up with the pace set by my small body. As our cart began to fill up, I started to feel much better. There was no way in hell this man was eating frozen dinners every night with me around. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Well, okay, maybe just Lauren. But anyone else, definitely not.

"Um, Bella?" Edward called from behind me. "You do realize that I can't cook any of this, right?" I turned to face him, sighing dramatically.

"Maybe not yet, Edward, but you will; trust me," I demanded.

"So, wait, you mean you're gonna teach me how to cook?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"Slowly but surely," I confirmed. His eyes grew wide in alarm and a giggle escaped my lips.

"Don't look so worried, Edward," I laughed. "I'm getting you all of the necessities to make things like sandwiches and basic breakfast foods; I'm not gonna let you starve," I promised, and his expression relaxed significantly. "But you're gonna start eating most of your meals with us, and I'll start teaching you a little at a time. Nothing too fancy, just the basics; chicken, pasta, enchiladas...simple stuff," I shrugged. Edward looked at me skeptically for a minute before a mischievous gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Alright, but I'm warning you that this could take a long time. I'm talking weeks, maybe months," he said seriously, shaking his head side to side. I chuckled quietly and started pushing the basket again, headed toward the checkout.

"Ooh!" I turned around to be met by Edward's excited face. "Can I at least get cereal?" he begged, picking up a nearby box. "You have to at least let me get cereal. That's not bad for me!" he insisted.

"Yay! Cap'n Crunch!" I looked to Anthony who was staring at the box in Edward's hands like it held the secret to life. Edward quickly moved to Anthony's side, whispering in his ear. The next thing I knew, I had two of the most heartwrenching pouty faces being aimed directly at me.

"Please, Bella? How can you say no to us?" Edward asked, his face right next to Anthony's.

"Please, mommy?" Anthony's bottom lip was shoved outward, trembling slightly. I looked back and forth between the two of them, finally rolling my eyes and nodding my head. They both smiled in victory, and Edward threw the box in the basket.

"You should feel horrible, Edward," I chastised. "Using your own son as a pawn to get your way." I clicked my tongue at him and he grinned devilishly.

"I would only feel horrible if it didn't work," he laughed. I shook my head and pushed my basket into the checkout line, quickly paying for our groceries before heading out of the store. As promised, I gave Anthony two dollars to spend on the machines, and he spent a good ten minutes deciding exactly what he wanted to get with it. Edward knelt down with him, oohing and ahhing over all of the toys they had to choose from. I chuckled at the two of them and left to put the groceries in the car while they made their decisions. Just as I was finishing up, they came sauntering over to the car, both of them wearing excited grins.

"Momma, look! I got a sticker, and a bouncy ball, and a sticky hand, and a fake worm!" Anthony exclaimed happily.

"That's great, baby," I assured him, ruffling his hair. "And what did you get?" I teased Edward. He grinned at me and bowed lowly, extending his right arm to me. I took the little plastic capsule he was holding, and opened it up to reveal a silver plastic ring with an emerald stone mounted in the middle.

"For you, my dear," he announced proudly, standing back up with a grin plastered on his face. "I know how much you hate when people spend money on you, but I thought a quarter from me and Anthony would be acceptable," he teased. Anthony was beaming up at me, and I giggled at the two of them, something I seemed to be doing a lot of recently.

"Thank you, it's beautiful," I cooed, bending to kiss Anthony on the cheek, then stretching on my tiptoes to give Edward a kiss on the cheek as well. When I pulled away his grin had tripled in size, and I rolled my eyes before leading Anthony over to the car, buckling him into his seat then climbing into my own.


	14. Fun and Games

Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga.

**A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me forever to update! I was in class one day, and I just got this great inspiration for a story, and I had to get it out. I finished it in about a week and a half, much faster than usual, and I was pretty happy with it. Then when I tried to jump back into this one, I just wasn't feeling it anymore. I didn't want to force the story, so I took a hiatus, giving my creative juices a chance to simmer. But, I'm back now, and ready to get to work! The updates might not be very frequent, maybe one every other week until I finish the semester in May. However, I promise to finish this story for you, and I hope it meets your expectations =) Enjoy!**

**Chapter 14**

**BPOV**

After a frantic midnight call to Alice, everything was all set up. When Friday night rolled around, Anthony, Edward and I met up with our friends at Alice and Jasper's apartment. Rose and Emmett had already arrived, and they were all relaxing in the living room, beers and wine coolers in hand. Anthony squealed in delight as soon as we opened the door, and our friends took turns 'oohing' and 'aahing' over him, passing him from one set of arms to the next.

Edward quickly settled in to talk with the guys, while the girls hurried me into the kitchen. Anthony perched himself on Edward's lap, intently listening to the 'big boy' conversation. I couldn't help but giggle as I was whisked away. They really were too adorable for words.

"Okay, Swan, spill," Alice commanded. She and Rose were both watching me intently, and I sighed heavily while searching for the right words.

"I need your help," I started, rubbing my temples with my fingertips. "I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. One minute I'm telling Edward that there can neve be an 'us', and the next I'm fantasizing about mounting him on my kitchen island!" I cried in a hushed whisper. Both women's faces froze in shock before their laughter filled the room.

"Honestly, Bells, I'm surprised you lasted this long," Alice giggled. I glared at the little pixie, but couldn't help the smile that pulled at my lips.

"I made a bet with Em and Jazz that you two would do the dirty mattress shuffle by day two," Rose admitted. "You made me lose fifty bucks by the way," she tacked on with an annoyed look. I stared back and forth between the two of them, before bursting into laughter. They quickly joined me, and we all sank down into the seats around the breakfast table, and I sighed heavily as we quieted.

"Seriously, guys, what do I do?" I said quietly. "I'm in love with him. I always have been. But how do I know I can trust him, you know?" I asked, hoping they'd have the answer. They both smiled sadly, Rose placing a hand on my arm in comfort.

"You don't, sweetie. That's the whole point of 'trust'," she giggled. I glared playfully at her, and looked to Alice.

"Rose is right; you can't ever know for sure that he won't hurt you again. But that can't stop you from taking that leap. I'm not saying you should take him home and screw him ten ways 'til sunday," she giggled, "but if you love him as much as you say, I think you should give him a chance. Take it slow. Send Anthony to one of us for a night, invite him over for dinner and a movie, and just get to know each other again. You don't have to jump right back into declaring yourselves to one another, but don't rule out the possibility that he could be _the one_." Rose nodded her agreement with Alice's words, and I stayed quiet for a moment as I thought about it.

"That's the thing, Ali, I _know_ he's the one. It isn't a matter of 'do I want him, or someone else?'. It's a matter of 'do I want him or no one else'." Alice and Rose exchanged a look with one another, then turned to grin brightly at me.

"In that case, Bella dearest, you better get your hot ass out there and start seducing Mr. Cullen," Rose laughed. She quickly pulled me to my feet and they led me back to the living room. The guys were all settled around the room, watching a movie while waiting for us.

I looked over at my boys, a smile quickly coming to my lips. Edward was settled in the middle of the couch, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Anthony was sitting to his left in the exact same position, with his little feet just barely dangling over the edge of the cushion.

I slipped quietly around the side of the sofa and caught a quick thumbs up from Rose and Ali when I went to settle down next to Edward. My body was barely two inches away from his, and I felt him stiffen as I curled my feet up beside me and leaned toward him slightly. We weren't touching, but if I moved just a little, we would be. I glanced up to smile at him, and he beamed down at me, extending his arm to rest behind me on the back of the couch.

The seven of us all sat in silence for a little over an hour, completely focused on the movie. Well, most of us were focused. I was just trying to concentrate on breathing properly with Edward so close to me. Every fiber in my body was aching to reach out and touch him, affirming my belief that I needed to pursue 'us'. Just when I thought I couldn't take this torture any longer, the doorbell rang, and Alice bolted over to answer it. I was shocked when Angela appeared on the other side.

"Aunt Angie!" Anthony shouted, scooting off the couch to run to her side. He wrapped his little arms around her legs, and she laughed softly, leaning down to kiss the top of his head.

"Hey, handsome," she greeted. "Whaddya say to hanging out with me tonight, and ditching your parents?" she grinned with a wink. He gasped happily and bobbed his head up and down before looking to me for permission. His wide eyes pleaded with me, and I quirked an eyebrow at Alice. She tossed me a wink, which didn't go unnoticed by Edward. I blushed furiously when he turned to me with questioning eyes, shrugging my shoulders in reply.

"That's fine, baby," I told Anthony. "Go have fun." He squeeled excitedly and ran over to hug both Edward and I goodbye, then returned to Angela. She helped him into his coat before smiling and waving her goodbyes, disappearing out the door with my son. Alice turned back to face us, a wide smile on her face, and bounced exitedly back into the room.

"So, now that the munchkin is being entertained, I think it's time to have some good old-fashioned fun," she grinned. I glanced worriedly around the room at our friends, who were all agreeing with her whole-heartedly. Edward shrugged when I met his eyes, but I saw the excitement he was trying to restrain. I watched him silently for a moment, then turned back to Alice with a bright smile.

"Get me a drink," I demanded. The whole room cheered loudly, and Alice disappeared, quickly returning with more wine coolers and beers. I sipped my drink eagerly, knowing that I was going to need some liquid courage for the night she had planned. Sure enough, less than ten minutes later she had us all seated in a circle on her living room floor, ready to play a game of truth or dare.

"Emmett, truth or dare?" Rose started, grinning mischievously. He didn't even pause to think.

"Dare, baby. Bring it on!" We all laughed at his exuberance, and Rose grinned evilly.

"I dare you to strip down to your skivvies and sing 'Like a Virgin' at the top of your lungs in front of the apartment building." Emmett's smile quickly faded, and I couldn't help the snort of laughter that came up. His terrified expression quickly became one of determination, and he rose to his feet, walking towards the front door.

He was down to his underwear when he finally reached it, and we all jumped to our feet to follow him out. I nearly wet myself when he reached the ground level, and turned to start his song. The few people milling around the parking lot stopped to watch and laughed, while others leaned out of their windows to take in the show. He stood proudly before them, belting it out with more passion than Madonna, taking a deep bow when he finished.

We all stumbled back to the apartment, tripping over ourselves with laughter. When we finally settled down, Emmett turned his gaze to Jasper.

"Jazz, truth or dare?" he questioned. Jasper watched him warily for a moment.

"Truth," he finally muttered, taking what he thought was the easy way out. Emmett's smile broadened, happy with his answer. Jasper swallowed nervously.

"Is it true that you play bitch in the bedroom when Alice wants to get a little kinky?" he laughed. Jasper's face paled, and Alice's eyes shot open wide with shock.

"Rose! You told him?" she cried, glaring at her furiously. Rose winced at her shriek, dropping her head guiltily.

"I"m sorry, but you know I can't keep a secret from him," she whined, begging for forgiveness with wide, pleading eyes. Alice held her glare for a moment before relaxing, sighing heavily as a smile took over her face. Rose's face relaxed and she leaned in to hug her, both girls unaware of Jasper's horrified expression.

"Dude, that's our sister," Edward whined at me side, shooting a pained expression at Emmett. Em winced lightly but shrugged his shoulders, his dimples quickly appearing in his cheeks.

"Yeah, but you gotta admit that's pretty fucking hilarious," he boomed. Edward shook his head, but couldn't keep from smiling. Jasper glared at them both, then turned his angry stare to Alice.

"Alice, baby, truth or dare?" he asked sweetly. All laughter stopped as she turned to look warily at him, concentrating hard on her answer.

"Um...truth?" she asked, obviously nervous. His sweet smile remained in placed, and she fidgeted from the suspense.

" Is it true that the scratch on the side of Edward's Volvo got there when you backed it into Emmet's Jeep's tailight in tenth grade?" He smiled proudly as horror washed over Alice's little face.

"That was you!" Emmett and Edward shouted simultaneously. Alice flinched at their anger, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.

"I'm sorry!" she wailed. "It was an accident! You were parked in the way of the basketball goal, so I thought I could just move it," she whined to Edward. "I was afraid if I told you that I wouldn't be able to go to the homecoming dance that weekend." Her eyes were watering dramatically, and both men shook their heads.

"I got suspended for three days for starting a fight with Eric Yorkie over that," Edward groaned. "I thought he had scratched it parking too close at school." Alice's shoulders hunched, and I saw the anger start to seep out of Edward's face.

"Mom and Dad took away my keys for a month, thinking I had backed into something again!" Emmett yelled. A single tear leaked onto Alice's cheek, and the room was suddenly quiet. Jasper's proud smirk turned into a grimace of shame, and he leaned over to hug her.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to upset you," he murmured softly. She nodded her head, looking up to give him a watery smile.

"You're lucky I got an extension on my pre-calculus test because of that suspension," Edward grinned, earning a wider smile from her.

"Yeah, and just be glad that not having a car meant I had to ride with Rosie for a month," Emmett smirked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Alice laughed at that, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Crisis officially averted, she turned her bright smile in my direction. My own grin slipped off my face, and I swallowed nervously.

"Okay, Bells, your turn," she giggled. "Truth or dare?" I quickly responded with 'dare', afraid of what kind of truths she could pull out of me. Apparently I made the wrong choice, however, because her smile only broadened at my answer.

"I dare you to take Edward into my closet for 7 minutes in heaven," she laughed. My eyes widened in shock, and I quickly glanced at Edward, who was wearing a similar expression. The rest of the group laughed loudly, and Edward slowly rose to his feet, reaching a hand out to help me up.

My face was burning with the force of my blush as he led the way to her bedroom and into the closet, pulling the door shut as we entered. We stood in the quiet darkness for a few seconds, just listening to each other breathe. My hands were shaking with a mixture of fear and excitement. I had no idea what would happen after these seven minutes, but I couldn't deny the excitement at feeling his lips against mine. I slowly reached one hand up in the darkness, placing it gently against his cheek. A shuddering breath left his lips, and I smiled softly to myself. It was good to know I wasn't the only one that was nervous.

"You don't have to kiss me if you don't want to, Bella," he said quietly, giving me a chance to back out. My smile widened, and I took a step toward him, my chest now brushing his lightly.

"I know," I said softly, sliding my hand to the back of his neck to pull him down to my level. His lips quickly connected with mine, and I sighed in contentment at the feeling. This was right. This is where I wanted to be.

I pulled Edward's bottom lip into my mouth, sucking gently and moaning at the faint taste of beer that lingered there. A flood of memories rushed back to me, and I could feel the warmth begin to gather in my core.

Edward softly sighed against my lips, before his hand reached down to grip my waist tightly, pulling my body into his own. His lips became more forceful, holding their own rather than allowing me to do all the work. I groaned in pleasure as his velvet tongue swept lightly against my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth to his without protest. He growled softly in his chest, thrusting his tongue forward to meet mine, the two fighting for dominance.

Without a second's notice he had spun me around, pushing my back up against the wall and moving his hands to my backside, lifting me into the air. I quickly wrapped my legs around his waist, leaning my head back to moan loudly at the pleasure I felt as his hardness made contact with my center.

"Fuck, Bella," he murmured quietly, causing my panties to dampen significantly. We were both panting heavily now, and I rocked roughly against him, trying to relieve the ache forming between my legs.

His lips quickly captured mine once more in a passionate kiss, before he pulled them away to trail along the line of my jaw. When he reached my neck I tilted my head to the side to give him better access, moaning softly as he licked and nipped at the sensitive skin.

"Unh...Edward," I cried softly, " I think I'm gonna..." I struggled to remain coherant, the coil beginning to tighten in my abdoment. He began to rock his hips faster into mine, one hand leaving my waist to tangle itself in my hair.

"Cum for me, my Bella," he encouraged softly. That was all it took. I fell over the edge, the ball in my stomach exploding to flood my body with heat, flashes of light appearing behind my eyelids.

"Edward!" I screamed, my body trembling as pleasure consumed my senses. I felt him stiffen against me momentarily before his own body began to shake with his release, and we both came down from the high together.

He gently lowered me back onto my feet, keeping his hands wrapped around my waist and his forehead resting against my own. His thumbs rubbed soothing circles on my hips, and I lifted my arms up to wrap them around his neck. I tugged slightly to get him to bend, and planted a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I love you, Edward," I said quietly, my lips brushing against his as I spoke. He leaned forward to kiss me once more, one hand reaching up to cup my face sweetly.

"And I love you, my Bella. More than my own life," he responded simply. My heart fluttered at his use of the word 'my', and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my lips. With one final kiss, he stepped away, holding onto one of my hands as he reached for the doorknob.

Edward pulled us quickly out of the closet and into the master bath, handing me a damp towel before grabbing one of his own to clean up. We fixed ourselves in silence, then turned to leave the room. He paused before he opened the bedroom door, turning back to meet my gaze.

I lost myself in the intensity of his stare, my breath hitching when he reached up to gently stroke my cheek with his thumb. He leaned down to place a soft, lingering kiss on my lips, causing my knees to shake slightly with emotion, then pulled away to smile softly. Without another word, he opened the bedroom door and stepped through, leading me back to our friends.

Four sets of eyes were casually looking anywhere but at us as we walked awkwardly back into the room. The smiles on their faces were poorly hidden, and I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment at what they might have heard. Edward rubbed his thumb against my hand reassuringly, and we quickly took our seats in the circle.

"So, are you guys ready to get back to the game, _Edward_?" Emmett moaned Edward's name in a falsetto, imitating my cries of ecstasy from just a few minutes prior. My face flushed crimson, and I quickly turned to bury my face in Edward's chest. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, running the other one through my hair as he chuckled softly.

"Don't be embarrassed, love," he murmured, placing a kiss on top of my head. "You're forgetting, we've caught them all 'in the act' numerous times throughout the years," he laughed. I couldn't help but giggle at the memories, and soon we were back to our game.

It was only a couple hours later when all eyes began to droop, the floor of the living room now littered with empty bottles. Alice and Jasper excused themselves for the night, staggering drunkenly off to their room. Emmett and Rose were already passed out on the floor, wrapped around one another, and I draped an extra blanket over them before turning to Edward.

He was laying on the couch, one arm tucked beneath his head, his arm holding up the blanket to invite me in. I smiled sleepily and stumled over, slipping off my shoes and sliding in next to him. He quickly dropped the blanket and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me firmly against his chest. I snuggled back into the warmth, a peaceful smile gracing my lips.

I wasn't sure where this road would lead us. I had no idea if he would leave again, or what he wanted for us for the future. The only thing that I did know was that I was tired of wasting time. If Edward was going to leave me again some day, then I wanted to savor the time that I had left with him. If he decided to stay, then I wasn't going to lose any time being distant. He was what I wanted, in whatever way I could get him.

**A/N: Well, how did I do? I just couldn't wait anymore for the big moment! Don't get too upset, they're not going to rush off to get married the next day or anything. Bella just knows what she wants, and she has finally made up her mind to go after it. Besides, if I locked you in a closet with Edward Cullen, do you really think you could have held out? Yeah, that's what I thought =P**


	15. Date Night

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Ready for the next chapter? The two lovebirds are gonna talk things out during this one, so maybe they can make some actual progress as opposed to dry humping in the closet =P Just a warning, things are gonna get a little limey =P I'll mark the start and stop of the dirty stuff for those of you who wish to skip it!**

**Chapter 15**

**BPOV**

The past two weeks have been ridiculous.

After my night with the gang and Edward, my life spun into a tailspin, everything being thrown at me all at once. I had been neglecting work, school, and my usual routine to spend time with my boys, and it was all starting to pile up.

When we woke up after the best night's sleep of my life, Angela was knocking on Alice's door with a chipper Anthony on her hip. Edward sleepily let me out of his grasp as I let her in, then started making breakfast for everyone. Once everyone was awake and had eaten, I headed home with the boys, who I left playing at Edward's place while I took care of errands. The errands hadn't stopped since then.

Most of my classes were blow-off classes now that I was in my last semester, but the work still needed to be completed regardless. I spent my morning at school while Edward watched Anthony, opting to take advantage of the quiet university library for my studies. Since I was taking classes online I could finish them at my own pace, and I was hoping to get them out of the way quickly so I could graduate and move on.

My afternoons were spent running errands. As a single mom with a four year old, I always had something that needed to be done. Trips to the post office, grocery store, pharmacy, and dry-cleaners were endless, and I usually drug myself through my front door around dinner time.

Of course, it was a huge relief to have Edward around. He watched Anthony throughout the day without complaint, giving me a chance to finish everything I needed to do without having to worry about him. He had even started practicing some recipes, and always had dinner waiting for me when I came home. He was perfect.

The two of us still hadn't had a chance to talk. The most we had managed was a quick kiss on the cheek when Anthony wasn't looking, or glances over the dinner table. I knew we needed to discuss what had happened at Alice's that night, but it just seemed like I hadn't been able to even catch my breath in days.

After dinner every night, I would turn my attention to the pile of manuscripts awaiting me on my desk. I hadn't been reading through as many as usual with Edward's arrival, and I didn't want the Webers to think I couldn't handle the job. A few nights Anthony even stayed with Edward as I worked through the night and into the early morning hours, trying to get ahead.

It seemed like an eternity before I finally began to see some light at the end of the tunnel. The pile of work on my desk had dwindled down to one final manuscript, and my schoolwork was all completed other than my final exams. There were always errands, of course, but those were easy to accomplish with Edward watching Anthony. With my schedule opening up, I made a decision. This weekend, I would talk with Edward.

I didn't want to avoid the subject anymore. There was no use putting it off any longer. I wanted Edward in whatever way he would have me, and after that night with our friends I was pretty confident in what way that would be. Of course, we couldn't move forward until we had a chance to talk about it. I wanted to make sure Edward was invested in this before I let my head or my heart get carried away.

Edward was putting Anthony to bed. I watched him scoop my little angel into his arms, gently carrying the sleepy child down the hallway as he hummed comfortingly in his ear. He was such a natural with him. I couldn't help the smile that came to my face as I watched him shut the door to Anthony's room, walking quietly back to me.

"Any trouble?" I asked, knowing full well that Anthony never put up a fight when it came to Edward. He was a god as far as Anthony was concerned. Well, now that I thought of it, Adonis did come to mind...

"Of course not," Edward chuckled. He stepped into the living room, slipping on his shoes in silence. When he stood to leave, I followed him to the door.

"Same time tomorrow?" he asked. His green eyes danced with humor, a crooked smirk appearing on his lips. If he only knew what that smirk did to me.

"Um..." I mumbled, suddenly nervous, "actually, I was, um, wondering if maybe you'd want to come over tomorrow?" I risked a glance up at him through my eyelashes, and his head tilted in confusion.

"I thought that's what we were talking about?" he asked, not understanding my question. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and I tripped over my words trying to explain. This is just Edward; why the hell am I so nervous?

"Um...no," I chuckled uncomfortably, "I meant, like, later tomorrow. Like, tomorrow night," I continued. "I thought, maybe Alice could watch Anthony, and we could...um...watch a movie or something? I'll make dinner," I added quickly. Edward's eyes lit up at my offer, and a breathtaking smile spread across his face.

"Really?" he asked. I nodded my head silently, my own smile beginning to tug at my lips.

"That sounds great," he grinned. I beamed back at him and leaned against the door frame as he walked out. He turned to face me once he was through, the green of his irisis swirling with emotion. Slowly, he reached one large hand up to cup my cheek, gently rubbing his thumb against my skin. I leaned into his hand instinctively, and a slow smile graced his lips.

"Sweet dreams, my Bella," he murmured.

"Goodnight, Edward." He slowly removed his hand, and turned to walk into his apartment, tossing me one last smile before I closed the door. I couldn't help but do a little happy dance in my entryway.

I was a mess. Alice would be here to pick up Anthony any minute, and Edward would be here shortly after. My day had been spent playing with Anthony and cleaning every square inch of the house. I wasn't sure why, really. I mean, it's not like Edward wasn't her every day; he already knew what the house looked like. But my nerves were shot, and cleaning was almost therapeutic for me. Ergo, my apartment was spotless.

"Honey, I'm home!" My head snapped up as Alice's voice rang through the apartment, and I bolted out of my room. Without pausing to say hi, I wrapped my fingers around her wrist and dragged her back into my room, slamming the door shut behind us.

"Okay, Bells, I know that you're all hot and heavy for my brother, but I do think you should start out the night with at least _some_ clothing." I rolled my eyes at her, but turned to wrench my closet doors open.

"Yeah, see, that's the problem," I started, "What the hell do I wear?" I was standing in front of her in a bra and boyshorts, my hair frazzled and my eyes bugging out of my head. It was just dinner and a movie at home, but for some reason, I couldn't make a decision. I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Work your magic," I instructed, waving my arm at the garments before us. Alice giggled lightly, stepping forward to finger my clothes. Her little brow furrowed in concentration as she sifted through each item, carefully making her choices. After a moment's deliberation, she turned and shoved a handful of items into my arms, pushing me into the bathroom and shutting the door. I groaned at her choices but began dressing, glad that at least that decision was out of my hands now.

Five minutes later I exited the bathroom calm, cool, and collected. Well, maybe still a little frazzled. Or a lot.

Alice had slipped me a navy blue lace push-up bra and boyshort set, along with a navy blue and gold printed sleeveless wrap dress. The dress hit mid-thigh, with gold lace trim along the hem. The front dipped down into a V to reveal the ridiculous amount of cleavage that the push-up bra created. I had to admit, it was hot. But perhaps a bit too much for a night in.

"Alice, are sure this isn't too much? I mean, it feels so...formal," I suggested. She snorted delicately and rolled her eyes, handing me shoes in response. I rolled my eyes right back at her, but slid on the the gold gladiator sandals she had handed me.

"No heals?" I asked honestly surprised. She merely shrugged her dainty shoulders.

"Well, the dress is hot, you can't deny that," she winked, "and I figured you'll be slipping your shoes off as soon as he gets here anyway." I laughed with her at that, and sat still as she began working on my hair. Less than ten minutes later she had smoothed my hair into soft curls, letting them hang loose down my back with just the front pieces pinned back.

"Gorgeous," she grinned. A knock sounded from the front door, and butterflies erupted in my stomach as Alice tossed me a wink. She quickly slipped out of my bedroom and picked Anthony up from his room, throwing his bag over one shoulder while he perched on her hip.

"Have a good night," she called behind her, opening the front door and slipping out into the evening. I stepped nervously into the foyer, my breath catching in my throat as Edward walked in.

His hair was in beautiful disarray, as always, and he was wearing dark wash jeans and a hunter green button down that hugged his body amazingly. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled back to his elbows, revealing the hard muscles of his forearms.

I blushed when my eyes met his face, his mouth hanging open as his own eyes traveled over my body unabashedly.

"Bella, you look gorgeous," he said quietly, stepping forward to place a kiss on my cheek. My skin burned where he touched me, and I blushed at the compliment.

"Thank you, you're not so bad yourself." I giggled at the corny line and he joined me, his laughter easing the tension in my body. I quickly reached out to grab his hand in mine, leading him to the small table in the kitchen and motioning for him to sit while I got our food. I carefully brought two plates of chicken milano back to the table, settling them down in front of us.

We settled into a comfortable silence as we began our meal, occasionally making small talk. When we were finished Edward took our plates to the sink, then held my hand to pull me into the living room. He grabbed the TV and DVD player remotes and led me to the couch, settling me down beside him. I quickly slipped off my sandals and tucked my feet beneath me, leaning into Edward's side. His arm slipped comfortably around my waist, and I smiled softly at how perfect this moment felt.

It wasn't until halfway through the movie when the words began to spill out of my mouth.

"Edward, we need to talk," I started, leaning back slightly to look at him. His face took on a wary expression, panic momentarily flitting through his eyes before he nodded his agreement. I leaned over him to grab the remote, muting the TV. I giggled when I noticed his eyes stray to my chest, and he cleared his throat nervously as a light hint of pink reached his cheeks.

"About the other day," I began, but was cut off abruptly.

"It's okay, Bella, I understand if you're not ready for 'us' yet. I told you I would wait as long as it took, and I wasn't lying. That night was...amazing," he sighed, "but I don't want you to feel like you're being forced into anything. I mean, I love you and I love Anthony, and-"

"Edward," I interrupted, grinning at his flustered appearance. He stopped mid rant and looked over at me, his eyes wide and confused.

"That's not what I was going to say," I giggled. His head tilted as he tried to decipher my words, and another giggled escaped my lips.

"Edward," I said again, reaching up to place a hand on his cheek, "I want 'us'. I've been trying so hard to fight it, and honestly I'm still a little scared," I admitted, "but I can't wait anymore. I want _you_ in whatever way I can have you, and if I wind up getting hurt in the end, so be it," I shrugged. He remained silent for a moment before reaching up to place a hand over my own, a single tear falling onto his cheek.

"Bella," he whispered quietly, "I could never leave you again. I _will_ never leave you again. You and Anthony are my life, and you're all I will ever want. You've _always_ been all that I ever wanted. I love you, and I'm here to stay."

The promise in his voice rang through the room, and I felt warmth spread through my body. A smile spread across my face of its volition, and I launched myself forward to capture his lips in mine. Heat instantly began to build in my core, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him to me. His hands cupped my face at first, but slowly made their way down to grasp my hips firmly, pulling me onto his lap.

*******Begin Lime*******

I stretched one leg over to straddle him and a moan involuntarily escaped my lips as I felt his erection hard against my thigh. A low growl rumbled through Edward's chest in response, and I was suddenly flipped over so that my back was pressed into the couch and he was leaning over me, our lips still attached. Edward broke away from the kiss just when I thought my lungs would burst, and began trailing his lips along my jaw and down my neck.

"I love you, Bella," he murmured, his lips still smoothing themselves over my skin. I tilted my head back to give him better access, whimpering as I rubbed my legs together in search of some relief.

"I love you, Edward," I replied breathily. His hand slowly began trailing down from my waist, reaching my knee before climbing back up again. As he reached my thigh, his fingers slipped beneath the hem of my dress, and I wiggled beneath him, begging him to continue. Soft fingers traveled at a painfully slow pace of my leg, finally arriving where I needed the most. Edward groaned loudly, his head dropping onto my shoulder as he rubbed my heated center through my panties.

"Fuck, Bella, you're so wet," he rasped. I whimpered in response, and one finger quickly slipped beneath the fabric, delving into my core.

"Edward!" I cried out, my hips bucking in search of more friction. Edward began to pump his finger in and out of me, sucking gently on my neck as he did so. I moaned in ecstasy, and a second finger quickly joined the first. His body pressed heavily against me, holding me in place as I writhed beneath him, my cries echoing through the silent room.

"Ungh, Edward," I moaned, "I'm gonna..."

"Let go," he whispered huskily in my ear. Just as I reached the height of my pleasure, Edward's thumb pressed roughly against my clit, and I tumbled over the edge.

"Fuck, Edward!" I screamed. He continued his ministrations as I rode out my orgasm, slowing his movements as my body began to settle. When I finally came down from my high, he slowly withdrew his fingers from my panties, locking eyes with me as he brought them to his lips. The two fingers slipped into his mouth silently, and he closed his eyes as he groaned softly, sucking my juices from his hand.

"Delicious," he whispered, finally opening his eyes to look at me once more. My body reacted immediately to his words, and I pushed against his chest until his back was against the couch, and I crawled onto the floor in front of him.

"W-What are you doing?" he stuttered, his breathing picking up to match my own. I smirked up at him through my lashes as I knelt between his legs, reaching up to slowly undo his jeans. His eyes widened and he rubbed his hands nervously on the cushions beside him, lifting his hips up so I could slide his jeans and boxers down enough to release his dick. It sprang from its confines, glistening with pre-cum, and I licked my lips hungrily, earning a growl from Edward.

Without wasting any more time, I leaned forward and wrapped my lips around the tip of his cock, moaning at the taste of him on my tongue. His hips bucked toward me and he groaned loudly, his hands finding their way into my hair as he watched me work him over through hooded eyes.

I worked quickly, taking as much of him into my mouth as I could fit and stroking the rest with one hand. His hands in my hair guided me to his desired pace. My tongue flicked against his head with every up-stroke, and his moans became more consistent, with my name thrown in amongst a slew of curse words. His hands slowly became more insistent in my hair, and he body began to tense with pleasure.

"Bella," he moaned, sending a chill through my body, "I...think...ungh," he tugged lightly at my hair to motion for me to move, but I clamped my lips down around him and hollowed out my cheeks, reaching up with my free hand to cup his balls as I sucked with everything I had. He grunted loudly with his head thrown back against the couch, and emptied himself into my mouth. I sucked down every drop, licking him clean before releasing him from my grasp.

*******End Lime*******

He raised his head up tiredly to smile down at me. I giggled softly at him and reached for his hand, tugging him to his feet and helping him put himself back together. Without another word I led him to my bedroom, slowly stripping off my dress and pulling the pins out of my hair. Edward groaned behind me at the sight of my undergarments, and I giggled before helping him out of his jeans and shirt.

Once he was dressed only his boxers, I led him over to the bed and climbed into the center, pulling back the blankets and patting the spot beside me. He crawled into the empty space and settled back against the pillows, opening his arms in invitation. Without hesitation I snuggled into his side, resting my head on his chest, allowing him to cover us with the blankets. He kissed the top of my head softly, and I tilted my head up to capture his lips in my own.

"I love you," he whispered softly, leaning down to kiss me one more time.

"And I love you," I replied. And with that, I drifted off into a blissful sleep, knowing that everything would be okay.

**A/N: Well, what'd you think? So, they're finally 'together' lol I know it got a little steamy there, but I hope you liked it =P Review plz!**


	16. Death Threats

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: First off, I want to apologize for the major break I took in updates =( I moved to a new city, got a new apartment with my boyfriend, and transferred to a new university. Needless to say, it's been a crazy couple of months, and that's WITHOUT including all of the family drama I've been dealing with. But I want to assure you that I will finish this story, and now that I'm back in a routine the updates should be coming much faster.**

**I decided to give you guys a peek into Edward's head, since I haven't done that in awhile...Nothing too exciting in this chapter, but we're gonna cover some bases and start building on these two kids' relationship =) Enjoy, and thanks for sticking with me!**

**Chapter 16**

**EPOV**

These last few weeks have been amazing. It seemed like I was actually going to get everything I wanted. I had Bella on one arm and Anthony on the other; everything was perfect.

We've found a decent balance in our lives. Bella uses the mornings to take care of errands and work while I watch Anthony. In the afternoons we all do something together, whether that's hanging out at her apartment and playing video games, or taking a trip downtown to the zoo or park. We make dinner together as a family, then either relax in Bella's living room or take Anthony to little league practice. Once Anthony's in bed for the night Bella and I...reacquaint ourselves with one another. For the most part I usually end up spending the night at Bella's, with her wrapped snugly in my arms.

The weekends are always filled with activity. Anthony has a game every Saturday morning, and the whole gang shows up to cheer him on. Afterward we all go out to lunch as a group, then spend the afternoon and evening at one of our apartments just catching up and having a good time. We spend Sundays lounging around the apartment and relaxing, getting ready for another week.

Bella spent last night out with Rose and Alice, so Anthony spent the night at my place. I had just finished showering and getting dressed, then helped him get ready before we headed over to Bella's. I pulled out my key to let us in, and was greeted with the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen. Anthony wasted no time rushing down the hallway and into the large space, and I stood back in the doorway to watch him greet Bella.

She was so great with him. Her entire face lit up when she saw him, and she instantly scooped him into her arms and held him close, earning herself a wet kiss on the cheek. She listened with a patient smile while he hurried to tell her all about his night with me, her eyes finally drifting over to land on me at the end of his story.

The smile on her face when our eyes connected was breathtaking. She had gained a little weight over the last month and a half with me, her cooking lessons for me ensuring that she got plenty to eat. Her limbs and cheeks had lost the disaster-survivor look, and her body was soft and warm from top to bottom. The dark shadows under her eyes had long since disappeared, and that familiar glow was present in her warm brown eyes.

"Hey," she grinned, setting Anthony on his feet so she could greet me. I stepped forward to meet her, my own smile slipping into place, and dipped my head down to capture her lips in a chaste kiss. Anthony giggled behind her, and I tossed him a wink when I released her.

"Good morning, beautiful," I grinned, "it smells great in here. I peered over her shoulder to the plates she had just finished filling, and she quickly reached over to carry them to the table. Each plate was overflowing with pancakes, sausage, eggs, and hashbrowns, and I dug in as enthusiastically as Anthony. Bella laughed at us but cut into her own pancakes, a peaceful smile on her lips.

"How was your night?" I asked around a mouthful. Bella grinned and shook her head, swallowing before trying to respond.

"Interesting," she giggled. Anthony took that as his cue to continue filling her in on our night of legos and video games, and she listened intently to every word. As soon as he finished he jumped from his seat and hurried to his room to put on his jersey for his game. Bella stood to carry the dishes to the sink, and I crept up behind her to wrap my arms around her waist.

I placed a lingering kiss on her neck and she sighed softly, spinning around in my arms to face me. I pressed her back against the counter, leaning forward to capture her lips for a kiss, and she eagerly slipped her hands into my hair to hold me close. We pulled away all too soon, both breathing heavy, and I held her gaze for a long moment, resting my forehead gently against hers.

"I love you," I murmured, placing another soft kiss on her lips. She smiled slowly, running her nails across my scalp gently.

"I love you too," she said, kissing me one last time.

Anthony came barreling down the hallway in the next instant, and we broke apart with matching grins to follow him to the door. The trip to the soccer field was filled with his excited chatter as usual, which broke off as soon as we pulled into a parking spot. He took off at a run toward Jasper and Emmett as soon as Bella got him out of his carseat, and both men greeted him enthusiastically while we watched from the sidelines. Bella reached forward to intertwine her fingers with my own, and led me slowly toward the bleachers where Rose and Alice were already seated.

"Good morning, lovebirds," Alice grinned, her eyes shining at our clasped hands. Bella's cheeks flushed pink, but she grinned up at me. I pressed a kiss to her temple and settled on the bleachers with her.

Spring had moved into Seattle and the warm air was refreshing after such a cold winter. It was equally refreshing to see Bella in a light sundress, her shoulders, legs, and back exposed for my inspection. I wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her close to my side, and bent down to press a kiss to her bare shoulder, earning a giggle in return. When I glanced up to grin at her, she leaned forward and kissed me lightly. Rose and Alice 'oohed' and 'aahed' at us, but Bella just smiled and settled into my side.

The girls started chatting about work and school while I watched Anthony play with the other kids. They were all giggling wildly while Jasper and Emmett worked with the other coach, Seth, to keep them entertained. More kids eventually started stumbling onto the field, and the bleachers slowly began to fill with parents. I suppressed a groan when a few familiar faces appeared, and Bella sighed next to me.

"Hey, Edward!" I glanced up at the sound of Jasper's voice as he walked over to us. He stopped in front of us to kiss Alice sweetly, then turned to smile at me.

"How do you feel about coaching, soccer star?" he grinned, tossing me a ball. I grinned up at him and glanced down at Bella, her head nodding encouragingly. I kissed her quickly and hopped up from the bleachers to follow Jasper. Anthony cheered excitedly when I reached the field and tugged me over to the cluster of kids to show me off. I smiled proudly at him, my heart warming at his excitement.

Jasper came out of nowhere to knock the ball out of my hand, then dribbled it out of my reach with a laugh. I quickly followed him onto the field where Seth joined me, Emmett teaming up against us with Jasper. The four of us tore up and down the field with the kids all cheering excitedly, before I finally managed to steal the ball away from Emmett and sink it into the goal before they could stop me. Seth whooped with a fist reached out to bump mine, and we grinned at a sullen Emmett and Jasper.

A catcall from the sidelines caught my attention, and I turned my gaze to Bella to catch her wink and grin. I chuckled and shook my head at her as the guys pushed my shoulders and gave me a hard time. By the time we made it back to the sidelines the kids were all present and ready to play, so we got started splitting them up into teams and positions. They didn't understand the majority of the rules, but they had the basic concept down and hurried to carry the ball to their respective goals.

The girls all cheered wildly for Anthony from the sidelines throughout the game, and when he scored a goal from his team I had to hold myself back from rushing onto the field to congratulate him. He earned a chorus of chuckles and 'awes' from the crowd when he turned to find Bella on the sideline, exclaiming that he scored a goal for her. She beamed at him and assured him that she saw it, then tried to wipe her tears nonchalantly when he went back to play. I grinned at her and she stuck her tongue out at me, motioning for me to pay attention to the game.

The match was over quickly, and Anthony rushed over to his mom and aunts while I helped the guys watch the rest of the kids as parents swung by to take them home. When the field was nearly empty we finally joined our group, Anthony still relaying the game to the women who saw the whole thing but were still listening to him with rapt attention. I went to Bella's side and wrapped an arm around her waist, earning a soft smile in return as she leaned into me.

"Bella, honey, it's been ages since we've had time to catch up! Why don't you come out with us for drinks?" Lauren sashayed her way over to our group, Mike, Jessica and Jacob all trailing behind her. Bella stiffened beside me, and I rubbed soothing circles into the small of her back. Mike and Jacob openly leered at Bella, Alice and Rose, ignoring the obvious warning glares from Jasper and Emmett. The girls all backed subtly toward us, placing distance between themselves and our guests. Anthony slipped to the side to play with the other kids, all of them giggling happily, oblivious to the tension in the air.

"I'm good, thanks," Bella replied drily. Lauren's gaze hardened, but she kept the smile plastered on her face and turned her attention to me.

"What about you, Edward?" she purred, battering her heavily made-up eyes. "Care to join us? I'm sure I can show you a good time." She smiled in what I'm assuming was supposed to be a seductive manner, but didn't quite hit the mark. I didn't bother trying to hide my reflexive dry-heave, earning strangled laughter from Emmett and Jasper.

"I'll pass, thanks," I grimaced, moving to stand behind Bella and wrapping both arms around her waist. She leaned back against my chest, smiling sweetly at Lauren, and I pressed a lingering kiss to her temple. Lauren's cheeks flushed crimson and her gaze narrowed.

"Fine, have it your way. This whole team went to shit when you showed up anyway," she growled at Bella. My love stifled a giggle and tilted her head to the side, frowning at Lauren.

"You do realize this is just Little League, right?" she asked slowly. Our friends laughed openly, and Lauren screeched furiously.

"You can take my son's name off your roster," she spat at Jasper, "we won't be coming back." And with that, she spun on her heal and stomped over to where the kids were playing, snatching her son's arm and dragging him across the field.

"Us too!" Jessica cried, her face twisted in anger for her friend, then tugged Mike behind her as they collected their daughter and ran from the field. Jacob watched the entire ordeal, then turned to grin at us.

"Don't get too excited, I'm sticking around. I can still enjoy the view without having a sample," he shrugged, eying Bella suggestively. I felt a growl build in my throat and Bella shivered in disgust, pressing closer to me.

"That's too bad," Jasper drawled, catching our attention as he watched the angry trio cart their kids away. "This was probably the only break those poor kids got from their parents." We all chuckled at his words, then breathed a sigh of relief when Jacob left the field with his own son. Bella visibly relaxed when he was gone.

We all took seats on the bleachers while we waited for the last of the kids to clear out, making sure they all had someone to take them home. Bella settled herself on my lap, resting her head against my shoulder while I wrapped my arms around her to hold her in place. We watched quietly as Emmett rolled around in the grass with Anthony and the few remaining kids, until we were the only ones left.

"Well, we should probably get going if we want to make it to Forks by dinner," Alice piped up, standing from Jasper's lap to pull him to his feet. Rose nodded in agreement and went to collect Emmett and Anthony while Bella slipped off my lap.

The whole gang usually makes a trip to Forks once a month to visit the parents, but we missed last month's with Bella trying to catch up on school and work. We all agreed to leave after the game today and everyone would be taking Monday off work so we could spend the next two days with the parents. Anthony begged us to let him ride with Emmett and Rose, and Bella quickly caved and kissed him goodbye. She made a circuit around the group saying her goodbyes before taking my hand and following me to her car.

We made a quick stop at her apartment to pick up the suitcases we had packed before we left that morning and grabbed a bite to eat before hitting the road. Bella was settled in the passenger seat, gazing out of the window with a serene smile on her lips and my hand held gently in her lap.

"You look happy," I said softly, unable to hold back my own smile at the glow in her eyes. She turned to face me, stroking the back of my hand with her thumb as her smile widened.

"I am happy," she replied simply. I lifted one of her hands to place a soft kiss on the knuckles, and she shifted in her seat to rest her head on my shoulder. The rest of the drive was quiet with Bella sleeping peacefully at my side, only waking when we pulled up in front of my parents' home. I kissed her softly when she woke and she leaned into the kiss, deepening it for a moment before pulling back to smile at me.

"I love you," she said quietly. I grinned down at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, taking a moment to breath in the scent of strawberries that lingered in the air around her.

"I love you, too," I replied, then kissed her lips lightly once more before we slipped out of the car. The rest of the group had arrived just before us, and Anthony hurried to the door to greet us when we stepped inside. He launched himself into Bella's arms and hugged her tight before she handed him off to me. I slung him across my back as I walked toward the family room with Bella laughing lightly by my side.

My parents smiled brightly at us as we entered, then shared a secret look with one another when they noticed the smiles on each of our faces. I stepped forward to kiss my mother on the cheek with Anthony leaning over my shoulder to do the same, earning a chorus of laughter from everyone in the room. I hugged my father then turned to let him pull Anthony of my back and gave Bella time to get her own hugs in.

Everyone else was already seated, so I sank into an empty armchair. Bella crossed the room to me after greeting my parents and sank onto my lap without any hesitation, wrapping one arm around my shoulders as I circled her waist with my own. My parents grinned widely at one another when they caught sight of us, and Bella giggled quietly. I pressed a kiss to her shoulder and listened while Anthony filled his grandparents in on his game that morning, completely content. I had Bella in my arms, my son seated happily between my parents, and my siblings and friends were chatting quietly close by. Everything was perfect.

"I promised Charlie that I'd bring Anthony by when we got into town. Do you want to come with me?" My smile faltered at Bella's words, but I quickly controlled my panic. I had managed to avoid a run-in with Charlie since my return, but I knew it had to come sooner or later. Maybe he'd go easy on me with Bella and Anthony there. Or maybe he'd kill me.

Bella giggled at my panicked expression and kissed me softly, bringing her free hand up to cup my cheek. She held my gaze for a long moment, a small, sad smile slipping onto her lips.

"I promise I won't let him kill you," she said somberly. My eyes widened for a moment before I glared at her, digging my fingers into her sides to tickle her. She leapt off my lap with a yelp, and backed away from me, giggling lightly. My mother grinned at me while Bella scooped Anthony up, and my dad tossed me a wink. I shook my head at my parents but went over to Bella, taking Anthony from her arms while she picked up her purse. We said a quick goodbye to everyone and slipped out of the house, then headed over to Charlie's.

My hands began to sweat profusely as we drove, and by the time we pulled up outside of the familiar little house I thought I was going to puke. Bella kissed me softly on the cheek and offered me an encouraging smile before jumping down and getting Anthony. I slowly climbed out of the driver's seat and followed them down the sidewalk to the porch. Anthony didn't bother knocking as he reached the front door, flinging it open with a little effort and rushing inside. His excited yells informed us that he had indeed found his grandfather, and Bella smiled as she led me inside.

Anthony was retelling his game for the third time that day when we joined them in the living room. Charlie had Anthony propped on one hip, a wide grin on his face while he listened to my son's excited chatter. His eyes flicked quickly over to us for a second before he did a double take and locked eyes with me. I held his gaze nervously, offering a small smile, and Bella cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned his glare to her, his good mood now destroyed.

"Hi, Dad," Bella smiled softly, stepping forward to hug him. He returned her hug with his free arm and kissed her forehead, smiling softly back at her before glaring at me once more.

"It's nice to see you, Chief Swan," I finally said, stretching out my hand. He looked at it for a long moment before grasping it with his own, using a little more force than necessary.

"Edward," he said shortly. Bella sighed and rolled her eyes at him while he set Anthony on his feet.

"We talked about this, Dad," she warned quietly, giving him a pointed look. He ground his teeth together in annoyance and offer a short nod of understanding. A heavy sigh finally left his lips and he knelt down, turning his attention to Anthony.

"Why don't you get your mom to take you out back so you can see what I got you?" he grinned. Anthony's face lit up and he quickly reached for Bella's hand, tugging her toward the kitchen and the back door. I felt myself start to panic, and Bella tossed me an apologetic look over her shoulder, before leaving me alone with Charlie. When they were safely outside, he turned his menacing glare back in my direction. I found my eyes flicking to the coat rack by the door, breathing a small sigh of relief when I noticed his gun hanging there in its holster. Charlie smirked when he followed my gaze, and my hands continued to sweat.

"I realize you probably want to kill me right now," I started quietly. Charlie snorted and I looked up to meet his gaze.

"No, Edward, why would I want to kill you? I mean, all you did was get plastered, take my sixteen year-old daughter's virginity, knock her up, flee town, then disappear for four years only to return like nothing ever happened. What possible reason could I have for wanting to kill you?" he asked sarcastically. I grimaced at his retelling of the story, but was unable to deny the things he said.

"I know I f—messed up," I sighed. "I was an idiot and I made the biggest mistake of my life. All I can do now is apologize for my actions and spend the rest of my life making it up to everyone. I know it might be hard for you to believe, but I love your daughter, Chief Swan, and I'll do anything in my power to make her happy. I'm here to stay, but I won't hold it against you if you try to shoot me," I muttered. Charlie let out an honest-to-God bark of laughter, shaking his head when I finished.

"Believe me, kid, nothing would make me happier than to unload a clip into you right now," he admitted honestly, making me wince. "But I won't." I met his gaze at his sigh, and waited for him to continue.

"As happy as it would make me to cause you as much pain as you've caused her these last four years, I can't deny that she's been happier this last month and a half than I've seen her in a long time. I don't know if I'll ever forgive you, Edward," he admitted. "But that girl out there means the world to me, and if she's found it in her heart to forgive you, and you make her happy," he shrugged, "then I'll just have to learn to tolerate you." I started to smile at his words, but he put a hand up to stop me.

"With that being said, if you ever hurt her again I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your skull. Got it?" I swallowed thickly at the warning, and nodded my head.

"Yes, sir." He grinned widely and clapped a hand on my back just as Bella came through the kitchen. She hesitated and quirked an eyebrow when she saw us, but continued forward to grab my hand and tug me toward the back door.

"Dad, you really shouldn't have," she glared playfully at him. "We can't bring it with us, so now we're gonna have to make more regular trips down here so he can use it," she laughed. Charlie grinned widely as we stepped out on the back porch and watched Anthony steer his miniature ATV around the backyard.

"That was the plan," Charlie laughed. Bella shook her head at him but leaned into my side with a smile, wrapping an arm around my waist. I put my own around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, glancing up to see Charlie cocking an eyebrow at me as a reminder. I nodded my understanding and held her close, smiling as our son's laughter reached my ears.


	17. Graduation

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Ready for the next chapter? We're gonna catch back up with Bella and see where her head's at with this whole ''getting back with Edward'' thing =) There's a lemon in this chapter but I'll mark it for you as usual...Lemme know whatcha think!**

**Chapter 17**

**BPOV**

Edward has been amazing. He spent the entire semester watching Anthony, keeping my apartment clean and making me dinner, doing everything he can to make things easier on me. Not to mention all of the stolen moments that we managed to sneak in, only serving to ratchet up the sexual tension until I thought I would explode.

I was hesitant about starting a relationship with him in the beginning. Even after we talked and decided to give it a try, it took me a couple weeks to really loosen up and embrace the idea. But the more time I spent around the Edward, the harder it was for me to deny how right it felt to be with him. He fit into our family seemlessly, as if he'd been there all along. Anthony absolutely adores him, and now I can't keep my hands off him.

We were lounging on the couch in my living room, watching a movie while Anthony played with his legos on the floor in front of us. Edward was nestled into the corner of the couch and I was curled up beside him, by head in his lap with his hands stroking my hair absentmindedly. My eyes were slowly drooping, and I chuckled a little when I heard Anthony's soft yawn. Edward rose to his feet and kissed me on the forehead before picking up our little man and carrying him to his room. I listened to their soft laughter for a few minutes before Edward returned, settling back down on the couch beside me. I lifted myself up to settle under his arm, sighing happily when he wrapped it around my waist. It was quiet for a long moment, his hand rubbing my side softly.

"Thank you," I finally whispered, tilting my head back to look at him. He frowned slightly, bringing a hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind me ear.

"For what?" he asked. I smiled softly at him and leaned forward to capture his lips in a kiss.

"For being here," I said simply. He smiled my favorite crooked grin and cupped my face in his hands, kissing me more soundly.

Our sweet embrace quickly picked up pace, our breaths coming faster as our lips moved more forcefully against one another. My arms found their way around his neck and I shifted to straddle him, his hands instantly latching onto my hips. I rocked forward, both of us groaning at the contact, and tipped my head back to catch my breath. His lips left a trail of heat down the column of my throat, and I whimpered softly. Just when I dropped my head back down for another kiss my jaw snapped open in a yawn, and Edward kissed my throat once more with a chuckle.

"Let's get you to bed," he murmured quietly, hooking his hands under my butt to lift me. I crossed my ankles behind his back and held on, rolling my eyes.

"You know, I've imagined you saying that a thousand times but not quite under these circumstances," I muttered. Edward chuckled once more, his chest vibrating against my own, and I rested my head against his shoulder with a sigh. When we reached my bedroom he set me down next to the bed with another kiss. I held it for a little longer before another yawn forced it's way out, and he ushered me to the bathroom with another chuckle.

I quickly brushed my teeth and changed into an old shirt of Edward's that hung down to the middle of my thighs. He was stretched out on my bed in his boxers when I came out, and let my eyes trail down his chest, wishing I wasn't so tired. He smirked at the look on my face and held the covers back for me. I crawled over to the middle of the bed and curled into Edward's side, sighing happily as he pulled up the covers and wrapped me in his arms.

"Bella, sit still or I wear to God, I'll ram this bobby pin through your ear canal," Rose growled. I immediately stopped fidgeting and offered her a small grin. She rolled her eyes at me but returned my smile, turning back to her work. Alice had shown up at my apartment bright and early the next morning, claiming that she was going to need time to get me ready for my graduation ceremony. Edward and Anthony had been sent to his place for the day, and I had been thrown into the shower with instructions to shave, scrub, and shampoo away every trace of dirt and oil. I tried not to be offended by that.

After my shower I had sat 'patiently' while she and Rose forced me into a robe and began buffing and polishing my hands and feet and slathering lotion on my body. They started on my hair next, setting it in rollers to create loose curls that Rose was now pinning back from my face while Alice slathered on my makeup. Well, okay, she was actually going pretty light. But it was more than I was used to. By the time she finished they both wanted to kill me, but took a break to admire their handiwork before throwing lingerie at me. I slipped into the black lace bra and thong without complaint, not wanting to incur their wrath.

When I turned to them for my next piece of clothing, Alice emerged with a garment bag that hadn't been in my closet that morning. She grinned widely at me and pulled the zipper down, displaying a dress that I definitely didn't own. My fingers reached out automatically to stroke the soft material, and I found myself grinning as they helped me put it on.

The dress was strapless, black charmeuse and hung just to the middle of my thighs. It's simple design hugged my curves just right, making me look elegant and sexy at the same time. A few accessories and a pair of silver flats (Alice knows me well) later and I was ready to go. When I stepped out of the room I found my boys waiting on the couch in matching gray slacks and black button-downs, both looking absolutely adorable. Well, Anthony was adorable. Edward was mouth-watering.

They stood as I came into the room, and Alice and Rose quickly went to where their own significant others were seated. Edward quickly crossed the room to wrap me in his arms, glaring at Alice when she screamed for him not to mess up my makeup. His frowned then turned into a wicked grin, and he attached his lips to the sensitive spot behind my ear, turning my legs into rubber. He pulled back with a confident smirk and our friends all laughed while Alice grumbled about him giving me a hickey.

"Mommy, you look absolutely stunning," Anthony piped up, tugging on my hand and offering me a wide grin. He turned his eyes to Edward next and asked him in a loud whisper if he said it right. Edward chuckled and assured him that he had, and I grinned down at my little man and kissed his cheek, leaving a small lipstick stain. We all quickly hurried out of the apartment so I wouldn't be late, and met Charlie, Esme and Carlisle in the auditorium lobby at the university. The group took their seats while I took mine, and they all 'whooped' loudly when I crossed the stage and turned my tassle. When the ceremony ended I was surrounded with hugs and 'congratulations', then Edward and I led the caravan back to my apartment.

"I'm so proud of you, honey," Esme cried, squeezing me tight as tears spilled onto her cheeks. I squeezed her back, fighting my own waterworks, and Alice and Rose quickly joined our hug. The men were all settled in my living room watching some game or another, while us girls had gathered in the living room with glasses of wine.

"I couldn't have done it without all of you," I admitted, swiping at me wet cheeks. "I can't tell you how much all your help has meant to me." We all cried harder and clung to one another, finally pulling apart when we heard a chuckle from the doorway. The men were all huddled there grinning at us, and we let out watery giggles.

"Esme, I think we need to get headed back to Forks," Carlisle said with a sad smile. She nodded her head and clutched me to her one more time, placing a soft kiss on my cheek when she backed away. I hugged Carlisle next, and he whispered a last 'congratulations'.

"I'm gonna take off too, Bells," Charlie said, stepping forward to claim his hug.

"I'm proud of you, baby," he said quietly, kissing the top of my head. I squeezed him harder for a moment before letting him go, giving everyone else a chance to say their goodbyes. Edward came over to wrap me in his arms as we ushered the parents out of the apartment, everyone shouting out 'drive safes' and 'goodbyes' as they disappeared from our sight. When the door shut again Edward slipped out of the room to take Anthony to bed, then met the boys in the living room to hang out. I rejoined the girls in the kitchen, settling down at the table with them.

"We're so happy for you, Bells," Rose smiled, grabbing one of my hands. Alice caught the other, nodding her agreement, and I smiled at my friends.

"Thanks. I'm kind of happy for me too," I giggled. They laughed with me for a moment, mischievous grins appearing on their faces.

"So, Bella," Alice started, "how are things with you and my brother?" Rose waggled her eyebrows at me and I blushed, earning squeals and laughter from both of them.

"Things are really good," I finally sighed, grinning widely. "I, um...I've actually kind of been thinking about maybe asking him to move in with me," I said quietly, peeking up at them to gauge their reactions. Their faces were frozen in shock for a moment before they both broke into large smiles, Alice clapping excitedly.

"That's great, Bells!" she cried. I chuckled at her enthusiasm, taking another sip of my wine.

"You don't think it's too soon?" I asked, fidgeting nervously. "I mean, he's only been back for four months. The logical side of my brain is screaming at me that this is all too fast, but..." Rose grinned, squeezing my hand for encouragement.

"But what?" she pushed. I smiled back at her, a blush filling my cheeks.

"But my heart knows that he's it for me, and it doesn't want to waist any time. And don't even get me started on what my body's saying," I grinned. They both laughed loudly with me, then settled down after a minute.

"Bella, does Edward make you happy?" Rose asked seriously. I nodded automatically, a smile on my lips.

"He does," I said softly.

"Then I think that's your answer," she said simply. I smiled at her and leaned across the table to give her a hug, moving to Alice next. We finished off our wine and made our way into the living room, surprised to find the TV off and the men all talking quietly. They glanced up when we entered, and Edward offered me his crooked grin. I slipped onto his lap, looping an arm around his neck and kissing him lightly.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Emmett laughed. I turned around to grin at him, then slid off Edward's lap to see our friends out. They all offered me another round of 'congratulations' before heading out for the night, and I found myself snuggled up with Edward in bed.

"I'm so proud of you," he said quietly, placing a kiss to my temple. I tilted my head back to capture his lips, savoring the feeling for a few moments before pulling back.

"I've been thinking," I murmured, letting my lips trail across his jaw.

"Yeah?" he asked breathlessly, his hands massaging my hips gently.

"How would you feel," I continued, moving down to his neck, "about moving in," making my way to his chest, "with me and Anthony?" Edward froze at my words, then quickly pulled my chin up so he could search my face. His eyes were filled with joy and disbelief, and I grinned up at him.

"Really?" he whispered, his voice filled with hope. I nodded my head, my grin growing larger, and his own crooked smile filled his face before he crashed his lips to mine. His kiss was passionate, filled with emotion, and he used the force of it to push me onto my back, his firm body hovering above me.

"I think," he murmured, kissing his way down to my chest, "that is the best idea," tugging on the hem of my shirt, "you've ever had."

****Begin Lemon****

He threw my shirt off the edge of the bed and trailed his lips across my bare chest, pausing when he reached a nipple to flick his tongue over the sensitive bud. I gasped at the sensations that shot through my body, my fingers reaching down to tug desperately on his shirt. He quickly caught on and helped me tug it over his head, leaning back down to press his warm skin against mine.

We both groaned at the contact, and I shifted my legs apart for Edward to settle between them. His hard length pressed against my center and I threw my head back into the pillows, my eyes snapping shut as my hips bucked toward him. A low growl rumbled through his chest and he quickly latched his lips back onto my own, kissing me hungrily as he tugged my shorts and panties down my legs in one smooth motion. I made short work of giving his sleep pants and boxers the same treatment, leaving us both naked and writhing in the center of the bed.

In the next instant his right hand had slipped between my legs, and he stroked my slick folds softly as I tried to keep quiet. I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth and nibbled on it softly, my hands buried deep in his thick mane of hair, still squirming against his hold. His hand continued its ministrations until he pulled back for a moment, then slipped one long finger inside of me. A wave of pleasure surged through my body, and a coil of heat began to build in my core.

"I want you _now_," I demanded, not wanting to waste time with foreplay. Edward growled at my order, quickly settling his body where his hand had been only moments before. He reached between our bodies to position himself at my entrance, waiting until he caught my gaze in his own before pushing inside me.

We both moaned quietly, taking a moment to adjust our position before rocking our hips in unison. I met each of his thrusts with one of my own, quickly finding a rhythm that worked for us both. Heat pulsed through my veins and I pulled Edward's lips back to my own, kissing him with everything I had in me. My hands dropped down to grip his shoulders, causing him to groan as my nails raked against his heated flesh, forcefully holding his body against my own. I moaned his name as a hard thrust pushed him further inside of me, feeling myself approaching the edge.

"God, Bella, I love hearing you say my name like that," he growled, attaching his lips to my neck. Only seconds later I felt the coil in my abdomen tighten then explode in a wave of heat and light. I bit his shoulder to hold back my screams, and Edward quickly followed me over the edge, spilling inside of me. We clutched onto each other as we rode out our orgasms, our bodies slowly relaxing against one another.

****End Lemon****

Edward carefully released me, rolling onto his side and pulling me back into his chest. The room was filled with the sound of our ragged breaths, slowly evening out. I smiled softly and closed my eyes when Edward pressed his lips to my shoulder blade, then wiggled further back into his embrace.

"I love you," I whispered, already drifting off to sleep.

"I love you, Bella," he replied. "More than you'll ever know."


	18. Girl Fight

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Alrighty ladies and gents, I'm gonna throw one last little bit of drama into this chapter before I start to wrap things up with a Happily Ever After. I promise it won't get too angsty, just some loose ends that need tying =) I've got a little lime here at the beginning, and a full-on lemon towards the end, marked as usual...Enjoy!**

**Chapter 18**

**EPOV**

****Begin Lime****

"We need to get up," Bella murmured, her lips snaking their way down to my chest.

"I already am," I smirked rolling her over and settling myself between her legs so she could feel my obvious arousal. She brought her lips back to mine with a moan, her hips thrusting toward me instinctively.

"I'm serious," she argued breathily, all of the fight fading out of her words. "Alice will be here soon." I positioned myself at her entrance and pushed inside of her in one clean motion, both of us groaning in unison.

"Alice can wait."

****End Lime****

We finally emerged from our room, freshly showered and dressed half an hour later, relaxed smiles on both of our faces. Anthony had already gotten himself dressed and was curled up on the couch watching cartoons. He didn't even glance in our direction when we entered the room, and Bella rolled her eyes before smirking at me and disappearing into the kitchen to get breakfast. I sank down onto the couch next to Anthony and he rolled over to lay his head on my lap automatically. I smiled down at my son and absentmindedly stroked his dark curls.

It's been a little over two months since I moved in, and I have to admit it's been the best two months of my life. Bella's friend Angela told her boyfriend about the situation, and since he was apartment hunting at the time he offered to pick up the rest of my lease. He already had his own furniture, so Bella swapped out the pieces that she wanted to keep and our friends went through the rest. The few pieces that were left got taken to Goodwill, and I settled into my new home with my family.

Bella came back from the kitchen balancing two bowls of cereal and an apple. She handed me my bowl and set Anthony's on the coffee table, telling him to sit at the talbe to eat so he didn't spill it everywhere. We learned the hard way that milk is not easy to clean out of upholstery.

She sank down onto the cushion next to me and settled into side, my arm curling around her waist, and we all finished our food while watching the Ninja Turtles. Alice's knock sounded on the door much too soon for my liking, but Bella kissed me softly and went to answer it. My exuberant sister swirled into the room seconds later and whisked Anthony off to get his shoes out of his room, and I followed Bella sullenly back to our bedroom.

The annual camping trip was only a few days away, and Alice was insisting on a shopping trip for 'the essentials'. Well, Alice wasn't really insisting, I was. The guys were coming over later to help me plan a proposal and do some ring shopping, and I needed to get Bella and Anthony out of the house. I love my son, but three year olds can't keep secrets. Thus, the shopping trip from hell that Bella would forgive me for eventually. Hopefully.

"Why don't you send Alice and Anthony away and stay home with me?" I pleaded, only half teasing. Bella slid her feet into a pair of Vans and grinned up at me.

"Because someone needs to keep Alice's spending in check, and I'm afraid Anthony isn't very good at telling her 'no'," she giggled, then tilted her head with a frown. "Then again, neither am I." I chuckled at her expression and stepped forward to wrap my arms around her, placing a sweet kiss on her expectant lips. I slipped my tongue out to flick her bottom lip playfully, but she responded by whimpering softly and pressing her body closer.

Bella quickly tangled her hands in my hair and my own hands started wandering lower, our kiss taking a more heated turn. A throat clearing in the doorway brought us back to reality, and Alice tapped her watch impatiently before heading back down the hallway. Bella giggled softly, then stood on her tiptoes to give me one last kiss before following my sister. I trailed after her with a goofy grin on my face, earning a chuckle from Alice as she ushered Bella and Anthony out the door.

"Have fun," she winked, then pulled the door shut behind her. I didn't waste any time pulling on my shoes and grabbing my wallet, hurrying out the door just in time to meet Jasper and Emmett in the parking lot. They grinned at me as I jumped into the backseat of Emmett's Jeep, and we headed toward the jewelry store. We spent the next three hours hopping from one jewelry store to the next, looking at their entire selection before deciding none of them were right. I was on the verge of giving up, deciding that maybe I should do some searching online, when the elderly woman assisting me sighed dramatically and put her hands on her hips.

"Why don't you tell me exactly what you're looking for? What kind of ring can you see on her finger? What would she be looking for if she were here right now?" I mulled her questions over, trying to come up with the right answer.

"Something simple, but elegant. Unique, but traditional. Nothing gaudy or over-the-top, but not so understated that it goes unnoticed." She nodded slowly as I spoke, her gaze distant, and a small smile began to lift the corners of her lips.

"Give me just a moment," she said, then disappeared into the back room. I shrugged at Jasper and Emmett, then continued browsing the store as we waited. She returned a few minutes later, a wide smile on her grandmotherly face and a small black box in her hand.

"Tell me what you think of this," she said simply, setting the box on the counter and prying open the lid. I took one look at the ring set inside the velvet lining, and a wide grin broke across my lips. Emmett let out a low whistle, and Jasper nodded excitedly at me.

"I know you asked for gold, but the platinum band on this is still very classic and elegant. The stone is a one carat round mine-cut diamond, and the ring around it is channel-set cerulean sapphire. It's a bit unusual as engagement rings go, but I think it fits what you were looking for: simple, but elegant." She smiled proudly at her find, and I pulled my wallet out without a second thought.

"I'll take it."

Emmett and Jasper dropped me back off at the apartment an hour later, and I got to work cleaning up a bit. Bella was a bit of a neat-freak so things never really got too out of control, but it's hard to keep up with a toddler's messes. I deposited the little black box in the one place Bella would never go, a side pocket in my gym bag, and got to work on the apartment. Nearly two hours passed and I had started running out of things to do when there was a knock at the door. I set down the furniture polish and went to answer it, only to have my eyes pop out of their sockets when I found Tanya on the other side. I stared at her dumbly for a minute, and she lifted one hand to wiggle her fingers at me.

"Miss me, Eddie?" she grinned, batting her eyelashes. My brow furrowed as I tried to figure out which question to start with.

"How the hell did you find me? And why are you here? What do you want?" She giggled lightly, flicking her hair over her shoulder and pushing her way into the foyer. I tried to block her entrance, but instinctively flinched back when she pushed up against me. She used the opportunity to slip inside, letting herself into our living room.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before she got her claws back into you," she shrugged. "And believe it or not, there's only one Isabella Swan in Seattle. It's a shame she isn't home right now," she sighed. I stayed in the entryway, my arms crossed over my chest, and frowned at my uninvited guest.

"What the hell are you doing here, Tanya?" I asked again. She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and crossed her arms.

"I miss you, Eddie," she whined. I rolled my eyes while simultaneously grinding my teeth to keep from saying anything. It didn't work.

"Don't you have a kid to watch?" I spat. She had the gall to look offended for a moment before composing herself.

"I left him with a friend so I could come see you. I don't want to lose you, Eddie." She started walking toward me then, and I backed up to keep my distance.

"You never really had me, Tanya," I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes again. Her brow furrowed and she narrowed her eyes, fury rolling off of her in waves.

"Our marriage certificate says otherwise," she growled. I let out a bark of laughter, shaking my head.

"Our 'marriage' was just a distraction for me to keep my mind off of Bella, which you've been well aware of from the beginning," I laughed. "And don't bother acting offended, because you fucked anything on two legs throughout the entirety of our so-called 'marriage'. You need to leave, Tanya." Her gaze hardened at my words and she started to speak when the door popped open and the happy trio stumbled in, loaded down with shopping bags.

Bella met my eyes first, her concern turning to rage when she noticed Tanya. Alice quickly followed her gaze, her own jaw dropping open in shock. Anthony remained oblivious, hurrying over to my side to show me what he bought.

"Daddy, look!" he exclaimed, his emerald eyes dancing with excitement. Tanya's jaw dropped when she noticed him, and she looked back and forth between me and Bella with mounting fury.

"Mommy bought me a truck!" He lifted the Tonka truck for my inspection, and I knelt down with a smile to look at his new toy.

"That's great, buddy," I grinned, forcing some enthusiasm into my strained voice. "Why don't you go home with Aunt Alice so you can show it to Uncle Jasper. He loves trucks," I suggested, glancing at my sister. She finally pulled her eyes away from Tanya to look at me, quickly nodding in understanding. She set the bags she was carrying down inside the living room, then bent to grab Anthony's hand. They disappeared back out of the door, with Alice assuring him that Jasper would love to play with the truck. The room was silent with their absence, but Tanya quickly fixed that.

"You!" she growled, taking a step toward Bella. Bella quickly closed the distance between us so she was standing by my side, and I reached down to grasp her hand in mine, pulling her slightly behind me.

"Tanya, leave," I said again, putting as much force behind my words as I could.

"When the fuck did you get her pregnant?" she screeched. "Is that why you left? Is that why you were so eager to marry me?" she pressed. Bella winced at her words, but I rubbed her knuckles soothingly with my thumb.

"I didn't know she was pregnant when I left," I snapped. "If I had I would've never wasted my time with you." She flinched back, but her eyes flashed in anger.

"Why should I believe you? You left when I was pregnant!" she argued. Bella's hand clenched mine painfully, and I hurried to defend myself.

"No, I was _about_ to leave you when you told me you were pregnant. I stuck around until the kid was born half Indian!" Bella's grip loosened slightly, and Tanya sputtered for a moment with no counter-argument.

"Well maybe if you were a better man you would've stayed to help me instead of running back here to take care of her demon spawn!" she finally cried, practically shaking in her rage. Bella was gone from my side in the next instant, stomping across the living room. Before I could react she had drawn her right fist back, snapping it forward to connect with Tanya's nose with an audible 'crack'. Tanya was sent sprawling across the floor, her hand reaching up to cup her now bleeding face while Bella shook her fist out by her side.

"You can say whatever the fuck you want about me," Bella spat, her voice sharp with the threat of more violence, "but you keep your mouth shut about my son and my man. Now pick your trashy ass up and get the fuck out of my house." Tanya glared up at Bella with blood still dripping down her face, and slowly rose to her feet. She tossed one more look at me before turning on her heel and hurrying out of the apartment, slamming the door shut behind her.

I stared in shock at Bella for a moment before slowly making my way to her side, lifting her hand up for inspection. Her knuckles were red and there would probably be some bruising, but it was nothing too serious. She kept her gaze on the floor while I studied her hand, her brow furrowed in thought.

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have hit her," she murmured, still looking at the floor.

"You're right," I nodded, causing her frown to deepen, "You could have hurt yourself." I placed a soft kiss on her injured knuckles, and she glanced up at me in surprise, the corner of her mouth beginning to curl up.

"But that was the sexiest damn thing I've ever seen," I smirked, leaning forward to capture her lips in a rough kiss.

****Begin Lemon****

She responded instantly, putting her hands on my shoulders for balance as she hopped up, wrapping her legs around my waist. My arms looped under her ass to hold her as I stumbled down the hallway, kicking our bedroom door shut and falling onto the bed. She tugged impatiently on my shirt and I helped her pull it off, and within seconds the rest of our clothes had joined it in a pile on the floor.

I slid down the bed, attaching my lips to her right ankle and working my way up, stopping just short of where she wanted me the most only to start over again on the other leg. When I made my way back up she was whimpering softly, trying to rub her thighs together for relief. I settled my shoulders between her knees to keep her legs apart, and grinned devilishly at her before leaning forward to place a soft kiss over her center. Her moan echoed through the room, encouraging me as I slipped my tongue out and ran it quickly through her folds.

My left arm settled over her hips to hold her in place while I tasted her, and I gripped her ass with the other hand, thrusting my tongue mercilessly into her core. She was releasing a steady stream of whimpers and curses within seconds, and I withdrew my tongue to place my lips around that little bundle of nerves and suck.

"Edward!" Her cry filled my ears, sending my ego through the roof, and I took a minute to lap up the juices her orgasm had released before crawling back up to face her. She gripped my chin and yanked me toward her for a rough kiss, her tongue slipping greedily into my mouth. I groaned at the thought of her tasting herself on me, and ground my hips against hers.

She shoved my chest back quickly and rolled over me so that our positions were reversed, and smiled wickedly as she scooted down my body, her bare ass wiggling teasingly in the air. I watched her with rapt attention as she wrapped her little hand around my cock, fighting to keep my eyes from rolling back in my head.

"Mine," she growled fiercely, demonstrating her ownership by flicking her tongue out to claim the line of pre-cum that was dripping from the head. I released a throaty moan, finally dropping my head back to the pillows, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yours," I agreed, my voice raspy, "only yours." I was rewarded with the feel of her warm little mouth wrapping itself around my head, then sliding down the shaft as her tongue swirled around it. I growled at the sensation, knowing I was too worked up to last long.

I quickly sat up and gripped her shoulders, pulling her mouth off of me and gripping her hips to position her. She let out a surprised squeak before catching on, settling into place and sliding down on my dick. I moaned into her neck, wrapping my arms around her to keep her chest pressed against my own. She brought her legs around to rest behind me, then resumed rocking her hips in time with my thrusts.

Our bodies slid against one another, both of us slick with sweat, and our cries rang out into the empty apartment as we hurtled closer to the edge. Just when I thought the pleasure was too much to handle, my release exploded through my body and I spilled my seed into Bella. Her own orgasm overcame her at the same moment, and her walls clamped around my shaft as she cried out, head thrown back and face contorted in bliss.

We clutched each other as we came down from our highs, our breaths slowly evening out to a more natural rhythm. Bella rose to her knees, letting me slide out of her, then rolled to one side and scooted up to the top of the bed. She pulled back the blankets that we had ignored in our enthusiasm and motioned for me to join her underneath them with a tired grin. I struggled to move my body the short distance, finally falling back onto the pillows with a satisfied sigh.

****End Lemon****

I opened my arms and Bella curled into my side, resting her head on my chest and twining our legs together. I settled one hand over the one she had placed on my chest, and brought the other down to stroke her hair. We lay in silence for some time, just enjoying being in one another's arms. The quiet was broken only when Alice called to make sure everything was okay, then agreed to watch Anthony for the night when I assured her that everything was, in fact, more than okay.

Bella giggled when I hung up the phone, wiggling her little body to scoot further up. When she made herself comfortable she lifted her head for a kiss, pulling back to smile softly at me.

"We should ask Tanya to stop by more often," she grinned, "this was fun." I laughed loudly at her mischievous grin, and hugged her closer to my chest.

"I love you, Bella."

**A/N: Wasn't that cute? I love it when Tanya gets her ass handed to her =P R&R plz! Lemme know how I'm doin =)**


	19. Popping the Question

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: I'm thinking I'm gonna draw this story to a close in maybe two more chapters. The drama has all been resolved, so now it's time for a little bonding and some happy endings (not like that, get your head outta the gutter!). I'll see you at the end!**

**Chapter 19**

**EPOV**

"Baby, we gotta go!" I flung the last of our bags over my shoulder and trotted down the stairs, throwing it in the back of the Liberty with the rest of our things. I closed the back hatch and hurried back upstairs, taking one last look around to make sure we weren't forgetting anything. Bella came stumbling down the hallway with Anthony in front of her when I called for them once more.

"Did you get my bag already?" she asked, slipping into her shoes and bending down to help Anthony tie his. I grabbed the bag of snacks she'd packed and our small cooler, then met them at the door.

"Yes," I sighed, ushering them out, "all of the bags are in the pack, the car's full of gas, and I already called my mother to let her know we're on our way." I turned to lock the door, and Bella quickly put her hand out to stop me.

"Wait! Did you put the leftovers away from breakfast?" I smiled to soften my eye roll and nodded.

"Did we turn off all the lights? Is the oven off? What about the air conditioner? Did you turn it off? I didn't turn it off," she rattled, moving to go back inside. I gripped her upper arm and tugged her gently out of the way, pulling the door shut and locking it.

"The lights are off, the oven hasn't been on since dinner last night, and the air conditioner is off. I checked to make sure all of the windows are locked and the blinds are down, and now the door is locked. Everything's taken care of," I promised, nudging her in the direction of the stairs. She took a deep breath and nodded once, then gripped Anthony's hand to help him down to the car.

Anthony settled into his carseat without a fight, and I popped a movie into his DVD player before sliding into the driver's seat. Bella was already buckled in on the passenger's side, and was gnawing nervously on her lip. I laid a hand on her thigh, waiting until she turned to look at me, and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her lips.

"Relax," I said quietly, squeezing her leg gently. She let out a deep sigh and smiled at me, leaning back in her seat and shutting her eyes. We made it out of the city in no time, and began our journey toward the campgrounds. We'd been going to the same place my entire life. When Bella and Alice became friends in middle school the Swan's joined us on our annual trip, and we've all been making it together ever since. Well, except for the last few years.

Carlisle, Esme and Charlie were already waiting for us at Sequim Bay State Park. The rest of the gang was supposed to leave around the same time as us, so we should all be arriving that afternoon. The drive was a little less than two hours, and it was silent with Bella and Anthony sleeping the entire way. When we finally made it to the campgrounds I maneuvered through the familiar winding path until I reached our spot just a few yards away from the water's edge. Charlie's cruiser, my parents' Mercedes, and Emmett's Jeep were all already parked nearby. I pulled into an empty space in line with them, and gently shook Bella awake.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and she took a moment to gather her surroundings before smiling sleepily at me and climbing out of the car. I opened the back door to get Anthony, rubbing his back gently as I carried his sleeping form around to the front. Esme spotted us from a distance and hurried over, taking my son from my arms immediately. He lifted his head up during the transfer, offering her a sleepy smile before settling his head down on her shoulder.

"I'm glad you made it," she whispered softly, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek before giving Bella a one armed hug. We all turned at the sound of crunching gravel to see Alice and Jasper pulling up, and the little pixie flew out of the car before Jasper even had it in park.

"Bella! I'm so excited!" she grinned, latching her arms around my slowly-waking beauty. Bella returned her grin and reached back to grab my hand, pulling me with them as Alice led the way to camp. Charlie and Carlisle were discussing fishing tackle when we walked up, and they broke from their conversation to smile at us. Well, Carlisle smiled at us. Charlie smiled at Bella.

"No time for chit-chat!" Rose declared, hopping up from Emmett's lap and grabbing Bella and Alice. "The sun is shining and I need to tan. Get changed and grab your towels, girls," she ordered, pushing them toward the tents. Bella rolled her eyes at me and I went back to our car to start bringing down our bags.

The parents had everyone's tents set up, so I tossed Bella our bag so she could change and went to help Jasper get there things down. Alice packed for a month even though the trip was only three days, so it took awhile to unload it all. By the time we finished Alice and Rose were already waiting patiently with their towels. Bella stepped out of our tent, her towel wrapped around herself, and winked at me as she headed toward the water with the girls.

"Well, I think I'm just gonna...go throw the football around," Emmett said slowly, standing from his seat with his eyes glued to the girls. He glanced at me and Jasper and winked, hurrying off toward the water.

"Maybe we should bring him the football," Jasper drawled, both of us shaking our head at his retreating form. We stood still for a split second before grinning and hurrying after him, leaving the grandparents to play with Anthony. Emmett was ogling Rose shamelessly despite her commands to stay out of her light, and I found my own gaze settling on Bella. She was stretched out on her back along the towel, one leg bent at the knee, her body clad only in midnight blue string bikini. I licked my lips as my gaze traveled over the swell of her breasts, past the smooth expanse of her stomach and down her long legs. She lifted one slender hand to the dark sunglasses that shielded her eyes, tugging them down to her nose and peering up at me with a grin.

"See something you like?" she giggled, her breasts bouncing subtly. I returned her smirk and yanked my shirt over my head, then bent down to pick her up from the towel bridal style. She squeaked in my arms and I took her spot on the towel, swinging her body around in my arms and setting her down so that she was seated between my legs, her back pressed against my chest. She hummed appreciatively and put her sunglasses back in place, snuggling back into my hold. I gazed out at the calm waters of the bay stretched out before us, my hands running down her arms gently.

"This is nice," she murmured, turning her head to rest her temple against my chest. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and 'hmmed' in agreement. The serenity was broken the next instant by a chorus of 'awes' from our friends. Bella stuck her tongue out at them and giggled, and I joined her laughter. She tipped her head back to me, lips puckered to ask for a kiss and her eyes shining brightly behind her sunglasses. I bent my head to comply, and we pulled apart at the sound of a shutter closing. My mother stood behind us with a camera in her hands, grinning widely.

"I'm sorry, but that was too cute to pass up," she chuckled. Bella blushed and wiggled back against my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her with a chuckle.

"Mama, I found you something!" I turned my head to see Anthony running toward us, a wide grin on his face, with Charlie and Carlisle following close behind. He headed straight to Bella, stepping in front of her where she'd uncrossed her legs to let him closer. He held his hand out to display a smooth black stone that was shaped into a chubby heart, presenting it to her proudly.

"It's beautiful, baby! Thank you," she grinned, accepting the stone and giving him a loud kiss on the cheek. A smug little grin turned up the corners of his lips, and Bella wrapped her arms around him to tug him into her lap, sitting him down in front of her like she was seated with me. My mother's camera clicked again and I shook my head at her.

"Mom, really?" I laughed. She grinned and stuck her tongue out at me before snapping another picture.

We all relaxed by the shore for the rest of the afternoon, just enjoying each other's company. I taught Anthony how to skip stones (well, tried to anyway), and the girls all cheered him on. Emmett and Charlie threw the football around with him, and Alice taught him how to do a cartwheel. I smiled at my family, watching them interact while I held Bella in my arms. I'd missed three summers with them, but I wouldn't be missing any more.

When the sun started to dip below the horizon we made our way back to camp where Charlie quickly got a fire going for us. Emmett wasted no time pulling out the makings for smores, and Anthony giddily helped me build his. Bella was trying to wipe the smeared marshmallow off his cheek when her cell rang, and she cocked her head in confusion before going in our tent to retrieve it. She emerged with an odd look on her face, pacing slowly behind us while she talked quietly with whoever was on the other line. She stopped her pace mid-stride, a look of disbelief washing over her features. I frowned at her, listening intently as a dazzling smile split her lips and she thanked her caller profusely. When she finally snapped her phone shut we all stared at her expectantly, waiting to be filled in. She blinked slowly once, then twice, then launched herself at me with a squeal. I stumbled back when I caught her, barely maintaining my footing, and held her at arm's length to quirk an eyebrow at her. She grinned up at me and grabbed the sides of my face, pulling me down for a passionate kiss. Her little hands finally released me and she ignored Charlie's grumbles as she started dancing in a circle.

"Bella, what on Earth is going on?" Alice cried exasperatedly, not liking being out of the loop. Bella stopped her dance to grin at all of us, bouncing slightly on her toes.

"You know how I've been working on a manuscript for a while now?" she asked, earning tentative nods in response. "Well I gave it to my friend Angela to proofread, and maybe get some constructive criticism. But that sneaky little rat slipped it to her dad," she grinned, taking a dramatic pause, "and he wants to publish it!"

It was silent for a long moment before cheers erupted, and we all threw ourselves at Bella. I reached her first, wrapping my arms around her waist and spinning her in a circle. She threw her head back to laugh, then brought her face down to mine to capture my lips in a kiss. When I finally set her back on her feet she was surrounded by hugs and 'congratulations', before Rosalie held up a cooler of beers and demanded a celebration. Charlie refrained since he was sharing a tent with Anthony, but the rest of us eagerly toasted to Bella's success. Her smile never left her lips, staying in place even when everyone called it a night and we slipped into our tent for our own little 'celebration'.

Our second day of vacation was interesting, to say the least. We all stumbled out of our tents that morning, bleary-eyed with matching goofy grins. Well, everyone except Charlie and Anthony. And Charlie didn't seem too happy so see my grin. Awkward.

We all quickly recovered from the previous night's excitement, digging into the bacon and eggs that Bella and Esme whipped up. The first activity of the day was canoeing, which turned into a pissing contest between Emmett and Jasper. Poor Alice and Rosalie were dragged along with them as the rest of us watched from a safe distance. Anthony cheered wildly for both teams, unable to decide which of his favorite uncles should win. The race ended with both teams in the water, the girls storming furiously back onto the shore when we all paddled back.

After giving them a little time to dry off and warm back up, Esme suggested a walk down the shoreline to let Anthony pick up shells. We all strolled down the beach, the parents talking quietly amongst themselves and our friends debating what we should do next while Bella and I taught Anthony the difference between a shell and a hermit crab. The girls all gathered around him quickly to soothe him when he picked up the wrong shell and got a pinch in return, and I took the opportunity to drop back and talk with Charlie.

"Spit it out, Edward. You look like you're gonna hurl," he smirked after a few long moments of awkward silence. I glanced over at him, gauging his level of hostility, and took a deep breath.

"Chief Swan, I'd like to ask Bella to marry me." There was another long moment of silence as he stared off at the crowd around Anthony, his gaze finally shifting back to me.

"She loves you Edward," he finally sighed in defeat. "It's up to her whether or not she wants to marry you, not me. But if you're who she wants, then you have my blessing." I started to smile, but his warning look stopped me.

"This doesn't mean I like you," he added gruffly, glaring down at his shoes. I did smile then, nodding my head in understanding.

"I don't expect you to," I chuckled, then a little more seriously, "I love her too, Chief Swan. I love both of them. I don't expect you to like me, and I don't deserve for you to. But I want you to know that I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make her happy if she'll have me." He nodded slowly, finally stretching his hand out to shake mine.

"Make sure that you do," he said, "and I guess you should start calling me Charlie." I smirked at him and he rolled his eyes, rubbing his mustache to hide his smile, then pulled his hand away to join the rest of the group.

The girls and my mother went tanning again after Bella laid Anthony down for a nap. Carlisle and Charlie stayed at camp to keep an eye on Anthony, and I tossed the football around with they guys. We all gathered around the fire to roast hot dogs when Anthony woke up, laughing and sharing stories, all of them filling me in on things I'd missed. I felt a small pang at the reminder that I'd lost so much time with everyone, but Bella gripped my hand and kissed me softly, murmuring quietly that we'd just make new memories together. The fireflies came out as the sun went down, and Anthony eagerly ordered everyone to help him catch one. With everyone occupied I tugged on Bella's hand, leading her away from the group.

"Take a walk with me," I murmured, kissing her softly. She smiled up at me and nodded, letting Alice know where we were going before following me toward the shore. She swung our clasped hands lazily between us as we walked, following the water's edge until we were out of sight of the gang. I stopped when we'd gone far enough, wrapping my arms around Bella from behind and gazing out at the reflection of the moon on the surface of the bay.

"Thank you for giving me a second chance," I said quietly, taking a deep breath to surround myself with her scent. She turned in my arms, lifting her own to wrap around my neck.

"Thank you for coming back to me," she smiled, leaning up on her toes to kiss me gently. When she pulled away I smiled down at her, lifting one hand to brush her hair behind her ears. I left my hand on her cheek and stroked her skin softly with the pad of my thumb.

"You and Anthony are my world now," I said simply. "I can't imagine life without either of you, and I hate that I caused us to miss out on so much time together. But I promise to be there for both of you, every single day for the rest of our lives." I knelt before her then, her sweet smile giving way to confusion. Surprise forced her mouth to drop open when I pulled the little velvet box from my pocket, prying it open to reveal its contents.

"Bella, will you marry me?" Her large brown eyes filled with tears, silently dripping onto her cheeks, and she brought a delicate hand up to her lips. She was silent for a long moment before a watery giggled escaped her lips, and she nodded her head slowly.

"Yes." Her voice was barely a whisper, but a wide grin instantly spread across my face and I jumped to my feet to capture her lips. When I pulled back from the kiss I slid the ring out of its box, gently grasping her left hand and slipping the ring into place. It fit her slender finger perfectly, and she gazed at it for a long moment before bringing her newly adorned hand up to cup my cheek, pulling me down for another kiss.

"It's beautiful," she grinned. "Thank you."

She wasted no time hurrying back to camp. Alice and Rose were chatting with my mother in a small circle, and Bella strolled over to their group and casually extended her hand into their midst. Their excited squeals instantly filled the air, and I grinned proudly as she beamed at them and relayed my proposal. The guys quickly came over to congratulate me, patting me on the back and grinning widely, even Charlie. Bella picked Anthony up and explained to him that we were going to be married, just like his Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle. He joined in the excitement then, cheering loudly and kissing her on the cheek.

Rose demanded another night of celebration, and we all heartily agreed. When the fire finally died out and we said our 'goodnights', Bella drug me back to our tent and I spent the rest of the evening making love to my future wife.


	20. Happily Ever After

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: The end is finally here! This is gonna be the last chapter/epilogue. I hope you've enjoyed my story, and thank you for sticking with me! **

**Chapter 20**

**BPOV**

Much to Alice's dismay, Edward and I chose to have our wedding in just two short months, right at the end of summer. He would be starting pre-med at the University of Washington in the fall semester, and we decided to have the wedding while we still had the chance.

The ceremony was small and simple, held in the Cullen's large backyard with just our families and a few close friends. Alice managed to make it beautiful despite the short notice, and was able to turn the backyard into something from a fairytale just in time for the big day. My dress was simple and elegant with a short train and a classic cut, my hair curled and pinned into an off-center knot at the base of my neck. Edward was mouthwatering in his tux, and Anthony carried our rings proudly down the aisle.

We had planned to take a short family vacation in lieu of a honeymoon, but Esme insisted that she and Carlisle take Anthony for the week and sent us off on our own. It was nothing extravagant, just a little rented waterfront cottage in Olga, Washington. We spent virtually the entire weak in various states of undress, wrapped in our own little bubble of heaven. By the end of the week we were both sad and happy to be leaving. It would be a shame to go back to the real world, but it was hard to be away from Anthony for long.

Esme was reluctant to relinquish our son, but we finally managed to pry him from her hands. Edward eagerly showed him the shells we had collected to add to his collection, and Anthony 'oohed' and 'awed' over them the entire drive back to Seattle. When we finally reached the city, Edward continued past our turn off for the apartment. I glanced out of the window, then turned to frown at Edward.

"Where are we going?" He grinned over at me, squeezing my hand gently while Anthony giggled in the backseat.

"You'll see," was all he said. I looked back and forth between my men, both of them fighting back excited grins. I narrowed my eyes but kept quiet, trying to decipher our destination as we maneuvered through the city.

We finally turned off north of the university, continuing past it toward the waterfront. My frown deepened as Edward drove us through the neighborhoods, passing rows and rows of beautiful homes. He finally rolled to a stop when we reached the end of the road, parking in front of a craftsmen home overlooking Lake Washington. Anthony was bouncing excitedly now as Edward motioned for me to get out of the car. He and Anthony walked on either side of me, their hands in mine guiding me up the front walkway.

I gazed at the house as we approached it, marveling at its beautiful simplicity. The cool gray exterior contrasted wonderfully with the the off-white trim and detailing. Large windows dotted the facade, and a wide front porch graced the entryway. I followed them onto the porch and came to a stop in front of the door, tilting my head at the key Edward held in front of me.

"What is that?" I asked carefully. Edward grinned, bringing our joined hands up and releasing mine so that he could press the key into it.

"That's your key," he said quietly. I rubbed the cool metal with my thumb, still staring dumbly at it.

"My key to what?" I asked, turning my gaze to search his face. His emerald eyes were glittering with excitement, and he brought a hand up to stroke my cheek.

"To your house." He nodded his head toward the front door, and I felt tears spill onto my cheeks as I mechanically inserted the key into the lock. It turned easily, and I hesitantly reached out a hand to squeeze the handle, pushing the door open gently. My feet stepped lightly into the entryway, my eyes dancing over every surface. Dark natural wood floors stretched from the entrance into the great room, a large stone fireplace on one wall. An archway to the left revealed a gourmet kitchen, and a staircase to my right led to the second floor. I stood still just inside the door for a long moment, finally forcing myself to turn and stare at Edward.

"This is ours?" I whispered, my voice filled with awe. He nodded slowly, a grin starting to spread over his lips. I threw my arms around him in the next instant, laughing lightly.

"When did you do this? How did you do this? Can we even afford it?" I asked, still clutching him to me. He laughed at my enthusiasm and tightened his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.

"Anthony and I went house hunting the week before the wedding while Alice kept you busy," he chuckled. "And normally, no, we couldn't afford this. But Carlisle knows a few people, and...let's just say he's persuasive." I laughed again before pulling away from him, stooping down to pick Anthony up in a tight hug. I kissed his cheeks, his eyes, his nose, his chin, giggling when he squirmed in my arms. I set him back on his feet and ran past me into the house, excited to explore. I turned to Edward, pulling his face down for a kiss.

"Thank you, Edward. This is amazing," I murmured. He kissed me back forcefully, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"You deserve it."

We spent the next few weekends moving our belongings from the apartment to the house with the help of our friends. Carlisle, Esme and Charlie all came up for the final weekend, bringing all of the necessities for a barbecue to break in our new home. We ate and laughed and relaxed with our family, the perfect start to our new lives together. When everyone finally headed home, we put Anthony to bed and went to sit out on our back patio, gazing out at the lake before us. Edward excused himself after a few minutes and returned with two glasses of champagne, settling back down next to me and handing me a glass.

"To happily ever afters," he toasted, raising his glass to mine with a small grin. I clinked the edge of my glass to his, but set it down on the end table when he raised his to his lips. He quirked his eyebrow at me and set his own glass down.

"What's wrong?" he murmured, cupping my face in his hands. I shook my head, smiling softly at him.

"Pregnant women aren't supposed to have alcohol." His face was immobile for a few long seconds before it broke out in a blinding smile. He crashed his lips to mine and tucked his arm behind my knees, lifting me effortlessly into his arms. I giggled against his lips as he ran back into the house, taking the stairs to our bedroom two at a time. He laid me down gently on top of our duvet, then took his time freeing both of us of our clothes. When I was laid bare before him, he knelt carefully between my legs, leaning over to place a gentle kiss over my stomach. I cupped his cheek, my eyes watering as he crawled back up to kiss me.

Then he proceeded to show me exactly how one drunken night can turn into the best mistake of your life.

**A/N: Well, that's it folks! What do you think? I hope you enjoyed it, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


End file.
